By AZE.US
An unused mobile number in Azerbaijan can eventually be deactivated and sold to another subscriber. If the previous owner failed to remove that number from banking apps, email accounts and social media platforms, the new user may receive SMS verification codes intended for them.
According to mobile operators cited by Baku TV, a postpaid number can be classified as expired and fully disconnected if the subscriber fails to make payments for 120 days.
If the number is not restored in the subscriber’s name within another 90 days, it may be offered for sale again. That means a postpaid number could potentially be reassigned approximately 210 days after payments stop.
Specific deadlines may vary depending on the operator, service plan and terms of the subscriber’s contract.
How a Reassigned Number Creates Security Risks
A new subscriber does not automatically gain access to information stored on the previous owner’s phone or SIM card. They cannot immediately see bank balances, private messages, photographs or passwords.
The risk arises when the old number remains registered as a method for:
- resetting passwords;
- confirming account logins;
- receiving one-time SMS codes;
- completing two-factor authentication;
- approving financial transactions;
- accessing messaging and social media accounts.
If a platform sends a verification code to the reassigned number, the new subscriber will receive it. In some cases, that code could help someone recover or take control of an account, particularly if they also know the previous user’s name, email address or other personal details.
Banking and payment apps, government services, primary email accounts, WhatsApp, Telegram, social networks and online shopping platforms require particular attention.
What to Update Before Giving Up a Number
Before allowing an old number to expire, users should identify every service connected to it. The number should first be updated in:
- banking and payment applications;
- government service accounts;
- primary email accounts;
- Google, Apple and Microsoft accounts;
- WhatsApp, Telegram and other messaging services;
- social media accounts;
- shopping and delivery platforms.
Changing the contact number shown in an account profile may not be enough. Users should separately check the Account Recovery, Security and Two-Factor Authentication sections because the old number may still be stored as a backup login method.
Google warns that verification codes delivered by text message or phone call can be vulnerable to phone number-based attacks. Where available, users should consider passkeys, authenticator apps, security keys or login prompts sent to an already trusted device. Google also advises checking individual services because changing a number in the main account settings may not update it everywhere. Detailed instructions are available through Google Account Help.
Users should also add a current recovery email address and securely store backup access codes before disconnecting their old number.
What If the Number Has Already Been Disconnected?
Anyone who has already lost access to a number should immediately contact the mobile operator to determine whether the line can still be restored.
They should also notify their bank, update the number in financial applications and remove the old line from every account they can still access. If login is no longer possible, the user should contact the platform’s support service and begin its account recovery procedure.
Friends, relatives and business contacts should also be informed that the old number no longer belongs to its previous owner. This can reduce the risk of impersonation attempts targeting people in the former subscriber’s contact network.
The most important step is to update all connected accounts before the number is disconnected and reassigned. Once another person begins receiving verification messages, recovering affected accounts can become significantly more difficult.
AZE.US