(WHAS11) -- We're on your side with information about how to protect yourself from a scam designed to take over your phone without you knowing it.
Our phones are full of contacts, texts, and emails along with access to social media and probably banking information.
It's all information criminals are looking for so they can pull off what's called a port-out scam.
If your phone suddenly doesn’t make calls, check to see if it says SIM not connected. If it is not connected and you have not contacted your carrier to cancel your service, you may be the victim of a port-out scam.
Fraud Expert Lori Farris with the Office of Consumer Protection for the Kentucky Attorney General Office says with the right information someone can call your phone carrier and switch your number to their phone.
“It's all a part of them being able to obtain information about you generally on the dark market or the black market of internet and that's generally from data breaches that have occurred,” Farris said.
Scammers search for the last four digits of a Social Security number, a phone number, a name on the account, and an address. With that information, they can use your phone number to reset passwords or get into accounts that use two-factor text authentication - like your bank.
Fraud.org says bank accounts are the most common target for port-out scams and once a scammer gets in they can quickly transfer funds to an account they control.
“Technology is...it's a scary thing that they're able to do that, but there are some things we can do as consumers to prevent our being victimized by these things,” Farris said.
Farris says it's important to keep your phone software updated, use different complex passwords for each account, and setup added protection with your phone carrier.
Using complex passwords means using a unique password regardless of the account. Fraud.org says to choose a password with upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not use the same password across multiple accounts. If one account gets hacked then others could too if you use the same password. For the best password security, use a password manager that creates and remembers random passwords.
Most carriers allow you to add a unique PIN to your account. You'll need this PIN whenever you make a change to your account or upgrade your cell phone. This extra layer of security will help stop the port-out scam on your phone.
Fraud.org provided the information below on how to contact your carrier.
AT&T - Log into your ATT.com account, go to your profile by clicking your name, and under the wireless passcode drop-down menu, click on “manage extra security.”
T-Mobile - Call 611 or (800) 937-8997 from your cell phone to speak with a customer service agent.
Sprint - Sprint automatically requires their customers to set up a PIN when an account is opened.
Verizon - Visit vzw.com/PIN or call (800) 922-0204.
Fraud.org also recommends using alternatives to text two-factor authentication. They recommend for online bank accounts to see if they allow other versions of two-factor authentication such as a security key or a third-party authenticator app like Authy.
Remember to be aware of suspicious emails or phone calls from people acting as if they are from your bank. Your bank will never ask you to enter confidential information in an email.
To look at other scams happening in Kentucky and more ways to protect yourself click here.
To sign up for scam alerts with the Kentucky Attorney General Office go click here