Cell Phone-Account Fraud - Consumer Reports
▻https://www.consumerreports.org/scams-fraud/cell-phone-account-fraud
How the Fraud Works
You may not like it, but your personal information is widely available to criminals online. They can glean it from a number of different sources, including what you share on social media. They can also buy it from hackers who’ve stolen your data from companies such as Equifax.
Often these breaches involve the theft of key personal information: your Social Security number, driver’s license number, phone number, address, and other personal details. This information is used to open all kinds of fake accounts in your name, including a cell-phone account.
But unlike a bank or credit card account, cell-phone accounts are relatively easy to open. Some experts we spoke with believe that carriers don’t always do thorough background checks. So even if you open an account with a major carrier, it’s possible for a crook to open up another account in your name.
Consumers usually don’t realize this is happening for months, or until they are contacted by the authorities or a debt collector seeking payment.