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Stay Secure.
Phone cases. Screen protectors. You'll do anything to keep your phone safe. But the most important part of protecting your device goes deeper. And Assurance Wireless is here to keep your account as safe and secure as possible.
Phone cases. Screen protectors. You'll do anything to keep your phone safe. But the most important part of protecting your device goes deeper. And Assurance Wireless is here to keep your account as safe and secure as possible.
Today, there is increasingly more value attached to our mobile devices than just the initial cost. The applications used on our devices—and the information accessed through them—are extremely valuable and, unfortunately, increasingly attractive to bad actors and fraudsters who want access to our information. When it comes to data security, Assurance Wireless is constantly evolving its safeguards to respond to new risks and new techniques used to commit fraud, including:
- Working with law enforcement and security experts to learn about new fraud techniques and stay ahead of new threats
- Conducting extensive training of Customer Care reps on how to spot scams by using the latest security procedures available for customers.
- Continuously planning, testing, and providing a variety of technical improvements to identify and respond to risks and fraud attempts.
All Assurance Wireless accounts are protected by a unique 6-15 digit PIN. In addition to the Account PIN, a customer's number cannot be transferred to another carrier without first requesting a Temporary Port Out PIN. We also use this PIN to verify customers when they call Care.
Having a strong and unique PIN that is frequently changed and can't be easily guessed is a simple and effective way to secure an account. For most customers, this is a great level of protection.
Assurance Wireless offers SIM Protection and Port Out Protection to help prevent unapproved changes to customer accounts. Customers will have the ability to digitally add/remove both port out and SIM protection.
Looking to further secure your account from unapproved SIM changes or Port Out requests? Call 611 or visit My Account to add SIM Protection and/or Port Out Protection to your account.
Note: If a customer believes someone has made unapproved changes to their account, they should call Assurance Wireless immediately, either by dialing 611 from an Assurance Wireless phone or by calling 1-888-321-5880 from any device. Assurance Wireless also supports law enforcement investigations of specific fraud cases.
Account takeover fraud occurs when a bad actor takes control of a wireless customer's account and phone number so they can send and receive calls and texts as if they were the customer. The goal is to gain access to the customer's financial, email and social media accounts, and our wireless phone numbers are usually targeted as the first step. That's because many platforms and apps rely on a one-time PIN sent via text or phone call to authenticate their customers. These are bad actor attacks and it's an industry-wide problem that many are working hard—individually and collectively—to prevent.
Understanding the Different Types of Account Takeover Fraud
SIM Swap Fraud
Swapping the line assigned to a SIM card between devices is a legitimate service that allows customers to upgrade or replace a lost or stolen device. SIM swap fraud happens when a customer's phone number is assigned to a new SIM card and mobile device without them knowing. Fraudsters may use the victim's personal information or mobile account information, including phished passwords or fake IDs, to act like the real customer and make the SIM card change.
Port Out Fraud
Porting a phone number occurs when a customer chooses to change carriers but wants to keep their number. Allowing customers to port their numbers is a legitimate practice and an important freedom that helps customers choose carriers and plans that best fit their needs. Fraudulent porting happens when a fraudster gains access to the victim's mobile account information, often by phishing the account password, to port the victim's number to a new account at a new carrier.
Remember, Assurance Wireless does not control how third-party services and apps, including social media platforms, banking and financial businesses, email providers and other services verify their customers. These service providers may control your sensitive and valuable information. To understand the protections available on those platforms, customers should work directly with those providers.
For answers to questions about any of the above, Assurance Wireless customers can dial 611 directly from their mobile device to reach a Customer Care representative 24/7.