I'm feeling a bit anxious because someone I don't know from my city claims they have my cell phone number and have shared my information with someone else. They mentioned that this person would be able to obtain my IP address just from my phone number. I quickly started using a VPN after hearing this, but I'm unsure about the actual risk involved here. Can someone clarify how much someone can really do with just my cell phone number and how long I should keep using the VPN? Is there any validity to this threat or is it just a scare tactic?
3 Answers
No need to worry too much! Your phone number alone isn't directly linked to your IP address unless you're using specific apps. Most of the time, unless you're really sharing a lot of personal info, you’re pretty secure. However, a VPN won't really protect you in this situation since it mainly hides your IP for browsing purposes. Just be cautious about sharing personal info online in the future.
Just so you know, I’ve totally hacked your matrix and decrypted your firewall — just kidding! Seriously though, you're fine, it’s all just a scare tactic. Keep your info private, and don’t let strangers freak you out.
Haha, that made me laugh! Thanks for the reassurance!
Don't sweat it! An IP address is public info that websites see every time you visit. It's not tied to your phone number, so anyone claiming otherwise is probably just trying to scare you. It's a common misconception, so you're not alone in feeling worried about it.
True! We should definitely rethink how we share our info.
Thanks for clarifying! It's nice to know I might be overthinking it.