Handing your cell phone to a stranger sounds like an anathema to most people. But when it’s a new friend you’ve just made, what’s the harm in that? A few months ago, TikTok user mundu_wa_ngai shared a harrowing account of how his friend ended up arrested. After visiting his friend at the Industrial Area police station, the friend explained how he had ended up wrongfully charged, and it was all because of a moment of kindness. The friend didn’t have his car that day and decided to use a matatu to run his errands.
While on the matatu, a man sat next to him and got him engaged in conversation about how the government has been failing Kenyans. After their conversation, the stranger asked him for his phone, stating that his was dead and he needed to contact the people he was going to meet. He also instructed the people on the other end of the line to send money to the phone. The agreement was for the man to withdraw the money for him once they alighted.
Since they had become fast friends, Mundu’s friend didn’t see any issue with helping out a stranger. He went to withdraw the money, Ksh. 10,500. But the stranger told him to only withdraw Ksh 9,000 and keep the rest. After that, they went their separate ways.
A few days later, he was descended upon by Flying Squad officers who immediately dumped him in the trunk of a Subaru. He ended up driven to a crime scene where a child had been attacked and killed. The officers then told him that the Ksh. 10,000 he’d received was sent from that location. The police were sure he was involved in the harm that came to the child. Because he couldn’t produce any names, they remanded him at the Industrial Area police station. Another statistic of wrongfully incarcerated Black men, a cautionary tale against sharing your phone with strangers, and a frightening story about what happens to kind people when they fall unlucky.
No good deed: Why sharing your phone with strangers is dangerous
Sharing your phone exposes you to all kinds of jeopardy. This is because people take private information that is linked to your phone number. In addition, it can create all kinds of legal problems for innocent victims. Here are the risks you face when you share your phone or number in unsecured situations.
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1. Smishing
This is a portmanteau of SMS and phishing. Unlike using email, scammers can use SMS to trap people. SMSs can seem more trustworthy, especially if the number resembles well-known phone numbers. They can also send messages pretending to be a promotional text for a recognised brand. In this text, they’ll send you a generic offer that seems legitimate, encouraging you to click a link that can phish your personal information, including bank codes and passwords saved on your phone.
2. SIM Swapping
SIM cards contain unique chips within them that enable your phone to receive calls, data, texts, and money. A scammer can call the mobile carrier pretending to be you, they then renew the line and can intercept any messages. This means you no longer have access to your mobile money wallet or contacts. The scammers can then impersonate you and con your loved ones. They can also apply for multiple mobile money loans and drain your accounts without your knowledge.
This is because when your SIM is swapped, you don’t receive a notification, but your phone doesn’t receive any messages or calls. If your phone is connected to various accounts using two-factor authentication, the scammers can use your phone number to access bank or Amazon accounts. By the time you notice, they may have made off with your money and personal information.
3. Identity theft
When people have access to your phone number, they can impersonate you to get access by just pretending to be you. This can be done by sending burst texts to your contacts asking for loans or investments and telling them to send money to a different account. It can also involve using your phone number for illegal activity that they want traced back to you.
4. Stalking
By getting access to your phone, a stranger can share your PIN with their device via WhatsApp or other texting apps that allow location sharing. That way, they can know where you are or where you frequent and track your movements for their notorious reasons.
5. Hacking
Handing over your phone to a stranger can also expose you to malware. They can send a message to a phone and accept it, which unleashes malware that makes your phone vulnerable to hackers, thieves, and impersonators. They can also leave your phone open for criminal activity.
6. When your phone is stolen
Most people believe that when their phone is stolen, it’s rooted and then resold for a cheaper price. However, some criminals can decide to use the device as is to commit crimes or at crime scenes. Phones can be tracked with serial numbers like the IMEI number. This can be used to find the original buyer of the phone, and you can get implicated in a crime.
This also applies to buying used phones. Unless you’re buying the phone from someone reputable, you’re better off not taking the risk. You could easily buy a phone that a criminal was trying to offload, so that they don’t get caught with the phone.
7. Money laundering
Unscrupulous individuals can also use your phone number to launder money. When people commit robbery, they can’t use all the money at once or deposit it all. To hide the paper trail, they can make different deposits into mobile money or bank accounts to get it back into circulation without being flagged. It’s important to keep your phone number away from people who want to deposit large sums of cash that aren’t from credible sources.
8. Online payment scamming
When paying for something online, it’s important to ensure it’s from a reputable shop. This way, in case of any misunderstanding, you can get your refunds as soon as possible. Shops that are out to scam people ask for your phone number or PayPal email to charge you as soon as you click to purchase. However, when the product isn’t delivered, they don’t refund you. In some instances, the platform you use can help protect you. When using platforms like PayPal, failing to deliver a product and refusing to give a refund can make PayPal lock the vendor’s account until they refund you. However, this isn’t always the case for mobile money or credit card payments.
How to avoid phone stranger danger
When your phone is stolen or your phone number is spread without your consent, there are measures you can take to prevent further damage. These steps can also help protect you in the event you’re considered a suspect in a crime where your phone was used without your consent.
1. Remove your phone public data
Your phone number is probably the most shared detail from your life. To prevent people from being able to access it in public, use data removal services. This includes online platforms like DeleteMe or Incogni that scrub the internet for your personal data and then removes it. They also have a list of known data brokers where they can check whether your information has been sold. Google lets you check whether any of your saved passwords have been leaked in security breaches for any accounts you’re linked to. Since many accounts are nowadays linked to your phone through 2FA, it may be necessary to change your password to a more complex one and change your 2FA from using your phone number to using a PIN or a passkey like your fingerprint.
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2. Prevent SIM swap fraud
People who use Safaricom can dial *100*100# to ensure that their SIMs can’t be swapped. This means your line can only be replaced by presenting yourself physically at a Safaricom care centre. You can also confirm the phone numbers registered under your name by dialling *106# for Airtel and Safaricom in Kenya. Different mobile service providers have varied protocols for preventing SIM swapping. Ensure you know the correct procedure with your carrier to prevent fraud. If you suspect your phone is having messages intercepted because of a SIM swap, visit a care centre of your cell carrier instantly so that they can block the SIM card. You also need to notify your bank and have your cards cancelled or any purchases halted.
3. Control who has access to your phone
You may not want to deny people aid when they need your phone to call for assistance. However, it’s important to be cautious about what other apps they have access to. You can use apps like the App Vault or install passkeys to access every sensitive app, like your mobile money wallet, contacts, messages, email, social media, or apps that have your purchasing information. Don’t agree to receive money from strangers or on behalf of strangers. Tell them they can withdraw the money via ATM rather than your mobile wallet.
4. Report everything
If your phone has been stolen, ensure you report the theft at your closest police station for your safety. In addition, report any suspicious activity that you receive on your phone. If you’re a Safaricom user, when you receive suspicious texts, forward them to the number to 333 for the carrier to follow up. Other carriers will have different protocols, like dialling a non-emergency police number to report the issue to law enforcement.
@mundu_wa_ngai_
Check out:
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