Introduction
The practice of operators reselling unused phone numbers has sparked a heated debate. Critics argue that this practice amounts to selling out old users. As phone number resources are limited, it’s crucial for users to take certain steps before canceling their phone numbers to avoid potential risks.
The Risks of Reselling Unused Phone Numbers
A recent video by a police officer in Tongling, Anhui Province, has brought the issue of reselling unused phone numbers into the spotlight. The officer warned that canceling a phone number could lead to property loss. When users cancel their phone numbers, operators often resell them to new users, who may use the phone numbers to access the original user’s accounts on various platforms, including Alipay and WeChat, leading to potential privacy and financial risks.
Privacy and Financial Risks
New users who purchase resold phone numbers may face harassment calls and issues with registering new accounts on apps. For the original users, there are risks of property loss and privacy leaks. For example, a woman in Jiangsu Province bought a phone number that was resold and found that the number was already linked to the original user’s Taobao account. She tried to unlink the account but was unable to do so.
Case Studies
There have been numerous cases of financial losses due to reselling unused phone numbers. For instance, a victim in Luoyang City, Henan Province, registered a food delivery app and linked a bank card to the account. After canceling the account, the new user repeatedly used the account to make purchases, resulting in a loss of more than 4,700 yuan. Another victim in Foshan City transferred 10,000 yuan to a payment app using the phone verification code, only to find out later that the account belonged to the previous user.
Why Operators Need to Resell Unused Phone Numbers
Operators need to resell unused phone numbers to efficiently utilize communication resources. According to industry analyst Fu Liang, mobile phone users in China have reached 1.746 billion, and phone number resources are limited. Operators must meet certain utilization requirements set by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to obtain new phone number blocks.
How to Avoid Risks
To mitigate the risks associated with reselling unused phone numbers, users should take several steps before canceling their phone numbers:
- Backup contacts.
- Unlink bank cards and financial apps.
- Unlink social media accounts.
- Change email and cloud storage account numbers.
- Update membership card information.
- Destroy old SIM cards.
Conclusion
The practice of reselling unused phone numbers raises concerns about privacy and financial risks. While operators argue that this practice is necessary to efficiently utilize resources, users must be vigilant and take precautions to protect their information. As the industry continues to evolve, it’s crucial for operators, app providers, and regulatory bodies to work together to address these concerns and ensure user safety.
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