The consumer group said it has found a number of risks posed by existing phone numbers that get recycled and taken on by other consumers. It said the issue is that many new numbers given out by telecoms firms in the UK are recycled from previous owners because there is a fixed pool of 11-digit combinations, with customer demand fuelling this recycling process. said it also had reports of people being bombarded with calls and messages from debt collectors or people contacting users trying to buy drugs from them. tech editor, said: “Our research shows that recycled phone numbers can cause significant problems for both the previous owner of the number and the new recipient – from the risk of being hacked to losing an emergency phone line or receiving worrying unsolicited messages. “Ofcom should aim to improve the way providers communicate that a number is at risk of deactivation and look into the issues that recycled numbers are causing consumers.”

Source: The Herald October 10, 2024 23:21 UTC