Think twice before giving out your cellphone number. Experts suggest protecting your cellphone number like it’s your Social Security number.
For companies hoping to sell you on their latest products, your cellphone number is like a gold mine.
If you’ve connected your number to social media sites like Facebook, you could be welcoming those companies into your private life and habits.
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“People are profiling you all the time out there,” said private investigator and tech expert Ron Rugen. “[If companies take] your phone number and find your profile on Facebook, they can go down and see what TV shows you like, what political candidates you may like.”
Unlike a Social Security number, regulations are not in place to prevent companies from selling your cellphone number to other databases.
With many younger Americans keeping their cellphone number long term, if it’s handed freely on online forms, it could pose a security risk.
“It opens you up to anything. Just think of how many times you give your number out,” said Rugen.
To protect your identity and personal habits, Rugen has a few suggestions:
- Simply don’t give out your number unless you must.
- Browse the web on private mode.
- Use a landline.
- Use a “voice over internet protocol” phone, like Google Voice.
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Use app’s like Sideline, that create a second, “fake” phone number.
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Brian Abel can be reached at brian.abel@kshb.com.
