Your old phone number may still unlock your accounts - audit it before it gets recycled
This article warns users that recycled phone numbers can pose a security risk if they are still linked to personal accounts. It advises readers to audit their accounts and update contact information before canceling or changing phone numbers.
Why it matters
As phone numbers are frequently reassigned, failing to unlink them from sensitive accounts can lead to unauthorized access and identity theft.
By Arol Wright Published Sep 24, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT Arol is a tech journalist who currently works as a contributor at How-To Geek since 2022. He first began writing online for the short-lived portal of Spanish-language gaming forum Emudesc in 2013. Years later, in 2017, he got his true start in tech journalism working for a small Google-focused site called Pixel Spot. He transitioned to a news and feature writer role at XDA Developers that same year, where he worked until 2021 before making the jump to other websites. Arol brings nearly a decade of writing experience, and the occasional hot take, to his writings. While he's a technology lover at heart, he holds computer hardware and smartphones particularly close to heart. You'll normally find him covering news, although he has also written the occasional deal, buyer's guide, how-to post, and round-up.
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