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protect against phone number porting

How can I protect my Verizon phone from unauthorized phone number porting to another carrier by an attacker ?

For example T-Mobile and ATT provide protection by requiring a "port validation" code.

This prevents an identity thief from causing your phone to go dead while they use your phone number for SMS-based further account destruction.

Comments

lukevinyl

Port-out transactions are naturally protected. Since to port a number out, the carrier you are porting to requires you provide the account info you are moving from (phone number, account number, billing address, name on account, and pin or password).

As long as you don't give out this info (especially the pin/password) it is safe from porting out by an unauthorized individual....

Ann154

It can also help to have the billing pin different from the last four digits of the account owner's social security number.

Verizon_Support

PATGON33,

Verizon Wireless takes account security very seriously. We are always here to help whenever you are unsure of a situation. Are you running into an issue with porting a number in or out of Verizon Wireless? What has you asking this question? We hope it is not porting out, as we appreciate your business & want to keep you our valued customer.

AliciaS_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!"

boringusername

It's seem t-mobile has had the biggest issue with this so I'm not sure how secure their system is.

lukevinyl

To be fair, it is the same system regardless of the provider that is being ported from or ported to-- and the same pieces of information are needed and required to match-up in order for a port to be legitimate and process.....

boringusername

lukevinyl wrote:
To be fair, it is the same system regardless of the provider that is being ported from or ported to-- and the same pieces of information are needed and required to match-up in order for a port to be legitimate and process.....

Except in t-mobile's case they were letting ports go through with just the last 4 of a SS number even on people's account where they specifically demanded any changes require a security PIN.

whmwhm

Will Verizon notify the account owner by email that a porting request has been made prior to completing the porting process?

Verizon_Support

That is a great question, whmwhm. If the user is an Authorized Account Manager, then they may port out the number without your approval. When porting a number out to another carrier, the new carrier is supposed to verify that the potential customers name is on the account first before they remove the number. This is the reason why no email is normally sent when porting out. Does this help clarify your concerns?

Takendra_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

myrness

Becuause of the increasing power of our cellphones as two factor authorizations, it would be a great idea for cell phone companies to send out urgent alerts to emails and apps, etc if a number is ported. So that we can know the moment it is done and work to undo it. (Though I realize it is less likely with a secure pin.) Since I receive so many other notifications and alerts, this should not be difficult. Thank you!

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