NewStats: 3,259,778 , 8,170,895 topics. Date: Monday, 26 May 2025 at 12:47 AM 5h2o2y

Phone numbers are now often considered the “trust anchor” for end- s. In some cases, a ’s valid phone number is their name. But what happens when the very phone numbers that are used to and keep end-s secure are given up, recycled and assigned to a new person?

Phone number recycling is the industry term that refers to the event when that deactivated/disconnected number gets reassigned to someone else. Data of recycled phone numbers are not available but is thought that if s are not diligent in updating their information and telcos are not aware of numbers being recycled, it can lead to increased risks for the integrity of the .

In the most basic scenario, the new owner of a phone number is now tied to the that the former owner linked to that same number—providing access to someone else’s . Alternatively, this can also lead to the true being locked out and notifications, security codes, resets and other messages and alerts are not reaching the end-

International Center for Investigative Reporting, (ICIR), recently wrote about confusions that have arisen as a result of SIM recycling.Imagine the frustration of a phone subscriber who is told by another that the line he or she is using is not his or hers?

Only recently, Anthony Okolia was illegally detained for possessing a phone line he purchased years after it was allegedly abandoned by Hanan Buhari, daughter of Nigeria’s President.

It was discovered that the accused had earlier ed the SIM. Fortunately, he was still in possession of the payment receipt.The incident generated some controversy. While some questioned legality of SIM swap, others expressed worry over unlawful detainment of the accused persons. There are several other Nigerians who have had similar SIM swap experience but not made their complaints public.

Last year December, Adeleke Adewolu, executive commissioner on Stakeholder Management (ECSM), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) attributed illegal SIM swaps as being responsible for the highest cyber threats recorded in the telecom sector.

David Ogala, a security consultant ha however urged the Nigerian Communications Commission to take steps to restore trust in mobile phone.He said that subscribers’ personal experience with services providers is the most significant factor in determining the level of trust.

https://m.guardian.ng/technology/sim-recycling-rings-danger-for-phone-s/

That's how I bought airtel line last year from their office, ed the line and went home. Two days later, I decided to whatsapp with the line, that evening that's how I received whatsapp message.

A guy threatening me, telling me I stole his one month old phone 2 weeks ago and I even have the guts to start using the phone with his sim.

He threatened me with God, Ogun, sango, Poseidon, Hades, Odin, Amadioha, police, army... dude literally threatened me with everything he could.

I tried convincing him it's a new sim I just bought and was even surprised receiving his message cuz I've not given that number out yet.

The guy wasn't listening, after threats he was even begging I returned his phone cuz he saved for over a year to get that phone and he only used it for 2 weeks.

It wasn't until I showed him the sim card with the number on it before he believed me.

I was so pissed I call Airtel Care Deck and served them their own portion of what the guy served me... still not satisfied: I headed straight to their office and served them deserts.

Imagine if I was caught with such line in public, how will I convinced them that I didn't steal the guy's phone?

Re-asg SIM is really dangerous.

The writer raised poignant issues to say the least. Many a time have I purchased new numbers from service providers only to receive random calls from total strangers. Particularly, those 0803 and 0806 old lines.

Methinks there should be some sort of legal protection for subsequent s of these reassigned phone lines. An affidavit sworn in a competent court could suffice.

As for previous owners of these now reassigned numbers, it behooves them to ensure they unlink these now abandoned lines from any of theirs to forestall security breach.

Sadly, the information gap across the country will not permit the quick dissemination of this information until fraudsters begin to have a field day.

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It's very dangerous. I was always receiving alerts from wema on a new Etisalat SIM I bought. Had to go and complain but it still hasn't stopped

Offpoint:
That's how I bought airtel line last year from their office, ed the line and went home. Two days later, I decided to whatsapp with the line, that evening that's how I received whatsapp message.

A guy threatening me, telling me I stole his one month old 2 weeks ago and I even have the guts to start using the phone with his sim.

He threatened me with God, Ogun, sango, Poseidon, Hades, Odin, Amadioha, police, army... dude literally threatened me with everything he could.

I tried convincing him it's a new sim I just bought and was even surprised receiving his message cuz I've not given that number out yet.

The guy wasn't listening, after threats he was even begging I returned his phone cuz he saved for over a year to get that phone and he only used it for 2 weeks.

It wasn't until I showed him the sim card with the number on it before he believed me.

I was so pissed I call Airtel Care Deck and served them their own portion of what the guy served me... still not satisfied: I headed straight to their office and served them deserts.

Imagine if I was caught with such line in public, how will I convinced them that I didn't steal the guy's phone?

Re-asg SIM is really dangerous.

Blame that dude for leaving his line inactive for more 90 days.

theoneJabulani:
It's very dangerous. I was always receiving alerts from wema on a new Etisalat SIM I bought. Had to go and complain but it still hasn't stopped

I've observed that this issue is mostly with etisalat,as I had also had some issue as well.and this 1 is serious o,it's a bvn something...

I keep receiving this when I never lived in Lagos nor own a PHCN meter. What do I do?

PurestBoy:
I keep receiving this when I never lived in Lagos nor own a PHCN meter. What do I do?

Go lay a complaint at a sim registration center...

edoairways:

Blame that dude for leaving his line inactive for more 90 days.

That's easy to say. A guy was arrested by the DSS on of using a recycled sim. It is now a lawsuit in damages amounting to #500m.

all my 5 sims iv used many years past,, i still have all their numbers saved on my list, but people are alreadt using them now ,
if i check it up on whatsapp i see the people using them

there is another sim i bought recently,, after activation i keep receiving calls from hausa speaking people,, i tell them i don't understand hausa , they will be like "ba Englishi" ,, ,they will just hang up and keep calling back again , not until i broke the sim

It means if you buy new sim card go DSS go am oh!

theoneJabulani:
It's very dangerous. I was always receiving alerts from wema on a new Etisalat SIM I bought. Had to go and complain but it still hasn't stopped

PurestBoy:
I keep receiving this when I never lived in Lagos nor own a PHCN meter. What do I do?

See bogus arrears

Me, my own be say me don tire to de tell aabokis say na wrong number dem de call


There is this man from the north that calls me almost on weekly basis, each time he calls I try in vain to explain to him that I am not Alhaji Yusuf...the thing don tire me sef.

I know of a situation where someone got a new line for a new device, as you know it's the usual practice that Android request for Gmail and Gmail request for phone number for verification before s are signed up for Gmail, the moment the new phone number was entered, a message was received from Gmail saying the max number of time the number could be used for registration has been reached , and later got a Birthday wishes message from banks and notifications EKDC.
a new line should be a new line, I don't think this is nice for mobile phone subscribers ,

edoairways:

Blame that dude for leaving his line inactive for more 90 days.

So if you are out of the country what do you do?

Nigeria needs to ban SIM recycling unless in case of death.
There are too many dangers associated with it.
One could buy the SIM of a notorious criminal and end up in detention or worse death
at the hands of the evil police people who wouldn't listen to any explanation.

Ok

Offpoint:
That's how I bought airtel line last year from their office, ed the line and went home. Two days later, I decided to whatsapp with the line, that evening that's how I received whatsapp message.

A guy threatening me, telling me I stole his one month old 2 weeks ago and I even have the guts to start using the phone with his sim.

He threatened me with God, Ogun, sango, Poseidon, Hades, Odin, Amadioha, police, army... dude literally threatened me with everything he could.

I tried convincing him it's a new sim I just bought and was even surprised receiving his message cuz I've not given that number out yet.

The guy wasn't listening, after threats he was even begging I returned his phone cuz he saved for over a year to get that phone and he only used it for 2 weeks.

It wasn't until I showed him the sim card with the number on it before he believed me.

I was so pissed I call Airtel Care Deck and served them their own portion of what the guy served me... still not satisfied: I headed straight to their office and served them deserts.

Imagine if I was caught with such line in public, how will I convinced them that I didn't steal the guy's phone?

Re-asg SIM is really dangerous.

The fact is that it is done all over the world. Here, I still receive unknown calls on my home line.

It is dangerous in Nigeria because some Nigerians are diabolical and extremely wicked there is no way you could have known what was done with the number by the previous .

godwingenesis472:


https://m.guardian.ng/technology/sim-recycling-rings-danger-for-phone-s/

I have been receiving weird messages and calls from different people on my mtn 4G sim up till now

Nice piece. I see why I occasionally get calls from strange Fulani men.

I received a call from a woman around 10 in the night she just started cursing without full stop... call her the next morning.... mama what's up Na

the owner of the line is owning her money and he refused to pay
and apparently my number is the guy number she who owns her .... she use to call him until he disappeared

I just reason with her.. me just buy this line to enjoy yakata bonus oooo


she just pray and end the call

One girl called me saying I have forgotten her after having sex with her, I told her wrong number that I just got the sim she said she recognised my voice.
Funny thing is she knew my name, it's was video call that made her believe me

Sunisonflex39:
this is what I saw in my dreams last night. all correct scores



oh lord are u the one speaking..
no harm in trying o.. let me play it with 200 naira. all correct scores


when I chop, make una no say I no help una o. I Don dey spread the good news


Barcelona 4-0 Granada


Real Madrid 3-1 Seville


Arsenal 3-1 Sheffield


Man city 4-0 crystal palace


Villarreal 2 - 0 espanyol


West Brom 2-0 stoke city


Play with 200 n win

All these prophets wey dey Naija suppose put heads together give guys like 5 correct scores make guys hammer once and for all.

Timileyin1234:
See bogus arrears

like the person operates a factory with federal light

s

Time to abolished the law mandating Sim card recycling

Kingosytex:



All these prophets wey dey Naija suppose put heads together give guys like 5 correct scores make guys hammer once and for all.

if na to predict for politicians them go sabi.
u dey mind them?