Registering on the website or mobile app? You may be asked to provide a phone number. You may think this is the safest way to register, but it’s far from it. Collecting all sorts of information about you online, linking you to an identity, building your profile (for marketing purposes, for example) creates a threat to your privacy and security.
Today we will help you understand what risks exist and why many web services and applications ask for your phone number to register. We’ll also cover ways such as using a virtual phone number to receive SMS and others that will help you stay anonymous when you sign up online.
Why Do I Need to Verify My Phone Number for Registration?
So, let’s understand why many websites and apps ask for your phone number during the registration process:
- One of the reasons is user identification. When activating a SIM card in many countries around the world (e.g. Germany, Poland, Spain), the buyer has to show the seller an ID card. Therefore, confirming the phone number when registering in many online services makes it possible to avoid creating multi-accounts and using bots.
- The second common purpose for which you are asked for your phone number is to regain access to your account if you forgot your password. In cases where you have forgotten your username or password, you can regain control of your account by receiving a text message. Sounds good, but there’s a weak point: dependence on your cell phone carrier. That one is able to reissue your SIM card, and an attacker can gain access to your account.
- The third purpose is to provide services. The owner of an online store asks for your phone number to send useful information. An airline reports flight delays or gate changes. The weather service relays a weather forecast. A medical center reminds you about a doctor’s appointment. A social network sends an alert if an unknown person tries to log into your account. Banks use SMS to confirm online payments and deliver information to customers about changes to their accounts (PUSH notifications).
All of the above seem to be of one use to the customer. But data is also collected for marketing purposes, or even just to send spam and annoying calls offering everything in the world.
What Can I Do to Stay Safe?
- If possible, do not register where a phone number is required and do not provide a phone number unless there is a special need. But if it is necessary to register, use a virtual phone number or e-mail.
- Check the settings of already used services. If there is a number there and it can be deleted without affecting the functionality of the service or replaced with a variant from the paragraph above.
- Refuse “password recovery” schemes over the phone. It is better to spend some time on creating strong passwords, save them in a protected password manager database, and periodically make backup copies of this database and the protected data itself.
- Enable two-factor authentication in the account settings. It is better if the second factor is not SMS, but, for example, a one-time code from a mobile application.
- Take care of your mobile device. Uninstall unnecessary applications, regularly clean data (SMS messages, call history, messengers), make sure that device encryption is enabled, and if someone does not have it enabled yet, and set a password to log in right now.
You can resort to other, more rare recipes, for example, use a SIM card of a foreign operator (in some countries you can still buy a SIM card without presenting a document). However, you will have to keep this number in working condition – keep an eye on the balance and replenish the account in time.
