Really worried about giving out my number to a stranger

[SeagullsAhoy]

Hi all,

I am rather worried about what someone can do with my number. I actually was coaxed into joining a dating site by a friend of mine and I met someone the other day and they very quickly asked me for my number. I don't usually do this but I thought what is the worst that can happen so I did. Anyway, I added them to WhatsApp and they told me that the photos that I'd seen were not their real photos and that they in fact looked differently. I immediately panicked and I blocked and deleted their number etc.

Anyway, I hear all the time about scammers and what not and I am just thinking - hmm, maybe this was a scammer. I am also worried what damage they can do with my phone number and whether I should now change it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[pgn · Accepted solution]

Realistically, if you start to receive harassing phonecalls, or lewd pictures on your WhatsApp (a criminal offence if you are a minor, btw!), or targetted scam calls and texts, then O2 will allow you a single change of number for free - just ask them, Social Media links for O2 (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) are just below this post, @SeagullsAhoy.

I found many articles about what might happen, here's a "serious" one, followed by a frivolous one - what you choose to do for your own peace of mind is up to you, @SeagullsAhoy - I wouldn't worry unless something weird, as mentioned in the first article linked, happened. Good luck!

Genuine answer:

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2021/0511/1220878-mobile-phone-number-cyber-attacks-impersonation-acce...

Frivolous answer:

They can call you.

They can give your number to others, who can call you.

They can see if the letters associated with the numbers spell something interesting.

They can figure out where you were probably living when you first obtained your number.

They might be able to know what country you are from (assuming your number includes the country code).

They can set your number as the caller ID number for a business phone system so that all calls from that company display your number.

They can add all the digits together.

They can listen to the sounds when dialing it to see if it plays a recognizable tune.

They could run an ad campaign and list your number on the ad.

🤐🤫