In the age of advertising, the more information about users is known, the more convenient it is for companies. And numbers , are a personalized and valuable tool for each company. But how can you avoid this possibility?
First, do not call numbers belonging to political campaigns, polls and surveys, charities, non-profit organizations, and companies that you may have worked with within the last 18 months or attempted to work with within the last three months.
Both political campaigns and charities often share or sell information to other campaigns, charities, and nonprofits.
See also: How to see if someone has blocked your number? (Android)
There are also many automated platforms for scheduling appointments or making reservations that ask for your phone number. In these cases, it is almost certain that the “terms of use” allow third parties to participate in your data.
If you call a toll-free number, it could theoretically automatically add your number to databases without asking you through Automatic Number Identification, even if you have identification blocking enabled.
The privacy policies for all the websites you interact with are well hidden in the fine print that only a lawyer can decipher, so if you give number to any website, it's almost certain to be in some database.
Violations
Another way phone in the wrong hands is through data breaches, which are very common.
See also: How to hide your number when making a call
Through the website Have I Been Pwned, you can use your email address to see which companies have been hacked to see if you have an account with one of them. In general, avoid using your phone when creating a new account.
Public records
If you own any type of real estate, you've probably been texted or asked to pay cash to purchase your property.
Real estate transactions create public records and when combined with other resources can make it possible to determine the owner's phone number
The best thing you can do is have a second backup number, which you will use for all your non-essential, short-term communications.
See also: How to scan a QR code without apps
The Google Voice is a free and easy option for adding a second phone number to smartphone , which you can use to keep your real phone number private. Google and call screening are also great tools, and when a number starts receiving too many unwanted calls or messages, simply delete the number and start using another one.
