Scammers can hijack your phone number. Here's what to do

Consumers are being warned about a growing scam that doesn't target bank account numbers or credit cards. Instead, criminals are after something many people use every day: their cellphone number. 

According to the Federal Communications Commission, scammers can hijack your phone number and use it to gain access to financial, email and social media accounts.

While this isn't one of the most common scams out there, it can have an outsized impact on victims. The FBI received 982 reports in 2024, but losses approached $26 million, according to data cited by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund.

How the scam works

The scam is often known as a "port-out" fraud. The FCC says scammers typically gather personal information from social media, data breaches and other sources before contacting a victim's wireless carrier and pretending to be the account holder. Then they attempt to transfer the victim's phone number to a device or account they control.

Once the transfer is completed, victims may suddenly lose cellphone service or see their phone switch to "SOS Only" mode. At that point, the scammer begins receiving the victim's calls and text messages, including security codes used for two-factor authentication.

That access can allow criminals to reset passwords and potentially break into banking, email and social media accounts.

How to protect yourself

The FCC recommends asking your wireless provider about setting up a PIN or password that must be provided before a number can be transferred to another device or carrier. The agency also encourages consumers to be cautious about sharing personal information online, including phone numbers, birth dates and other details that could be used to verify an identity.

The nonprofit U.S. PIRG Education Fund also recommends considering an authenticator app instead of text-message-based two-factor authentication when available. Because authenticator apps do not rely on text messages, scammers who gain control of a phone number cannot intercept those security codes the same way.

Consumers should also turn on account alerts for banks and other important accounts so they can quickly spot unauthorized changes.

What to do if you think you've been targeted

Experts say a sudden loss of cellphone service should not be ignored, especially if it happens without explanation. 

The FCC advises victims to contact their wireless provider immediately, notify banks and financial institutions, and take steps to secure affected accounts. Consumers may also consider placing a fraud alert on their credit files and filing complaints with the FCC and Federal Trade Commission.

The sooner action is taken, the better the chance of stopping scammers before they gain access to sensitive accounts or financial information.

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