Using Cell Phone Numbers As A Secondary ID Can Pose Security Risks

Security experts say our growing reliance on cell phones to help confirm our identity online is motivating “SIM-swap” scams to highjack our numbers.

SIM-swap — a “social engineering” trick fraudsters use to take control of somebody else’s phone number. Once scammers control your number, they can get your text messages — including the verification codes many online services send when customers reset their passwords.

Source: Using Cell Phone Numbers As A Secondary ID Can Pose Security Risks, Experts Say : NPR