Someone might have stolen your mobile number if:
• You cannot make or receive calls or messages when you usually can;
• Your mobile is showing ‘SOS only’ where reception bars usually appear.
How someone can steal your number
If a criminal has your personal information, they can steal your mobile number in a couple of ways:
• An unauthorised port - the criminal contacts a new Telco and pretends to be you, sets up an account and ports your number.
• A SIM swap - the criminal contacts your current Telco pretending to be you and requests a new SIM card that has your number.
Once a criminal has your number, they can receive SMS verification codes. This means they can get access to services such as your bank, email and social media.
We also recommend that you:
• Contact your bank or financial institution straight away and tell them someone might be committing fraud;
• Consider changing your passwords for accounts such as for your bank, email and social media;
• Report any fraud to local police or the Australian Federal Police;
• Report any cybercrime relating to identity theft and online fraud to the Australian Cyber Security Centre;
• Contact IDCARE on 1300 432 273 if you want help with identity crime or cyber security;
• Report the activity to Scamwatch.
What to do if you notice these signs
• Check your email for any notifications from Bendigo Telco regarding a mobile service transfer.
• Contact us as soon as possible if you suspect someone stole your number on 1300 228 123 or email customerhelp@bendigotelco.com.au.
How we can help
• If someone ported your number without your consent, we can reverse the port.
• If someone made a SIM swap without your consent, we can deactivate the SIM card and send you a new card.
Bendigo Telco carries out additional validation checks to ensure all ports are authorised, which helps to protect our customers from having their mobile numbers stolen.
What to do if Your Mobile Number has been Stolen
