Someone has the same phone number of mine?

[nico7nico7]

My name is Cong. I'm an international student studying at Halifax, NS, Canada. I got my sim card in September 2018. It's been bothering me a lot since I got my phone card. I always received message and phone call from other places called me Tobi? I tried to ignore them but it does bothers me more because I always received different calls and I'm even not sure if my phone number is safe to connect with my bank account and social media account. Yesterday, my classmates just found that there is another person use my phone number registered in whatsup. I'm so confused and what should I do NOW?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!!!

Regards,

Cong Chen

[stonechucker]

@nico7nico7, if you haven't already, install the WhatsApp program on your device, sign up, and register your phone number.  This should help 'return' the number to being solely yours, and you'll no longer have to worry about the previous holder of the number.

[kav2001c]

@stonechucker

Bingo

This is NOT Public issue

It is Whatsapp issue

(the data app is sending / receiving as if previous user is current user)

---

@stonechucker wrote:

I don’t use the apps that take over your phone number for use in data only messaging, but is it possible the the previous user of the phone number hasn’t updated their app for their new new number?

you’ve had this number for over 3 months now, I think you should be able to keep it.  How long has this been happening, is it just recent?

---

[krazykiwi]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

Thank you for your reply. If I apply for change another phone number, Can I get a new SIM card or the number just changed automatically?

---

There is no guarantee that the new number will be any different. I had the same problem with my number when I first got it from Telus. I ignored the issues for a while but then decided to answer the calls and text, I explained that the person they were looking for no longer owned the number. Now everything is great, have not got a text or call foe over a year.

[kav2001c]

@nico7nico7

Its really not confusing at all

Someone else had the phone number

Registered the number in Whatsapp

Then either change the phone number or cancelled the phone number

Whatsapp has nothing in place to prevent this (some even call it a "feature" since while travel international you can swap SIMs and keep your old number)

Having said that, you have posted way too much info here since this is a public message board I would seriously edit out the pics of phone numbers / names

The only way to ensure your number is not the same as person using in Whatsapp is to change your number

Public can't force the former person to do so

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

My name is Cong. I'm an international student studying at Halifax, NS, Canada. I got my sim card in September 2018. It's been bothering me a lot since I got my phone card. I always received message and phone call from other places called me Tobi? I tried to ignore them but it does bothers me more because I always received different calls and I'm even not sure if my phone number is safe to connect with my bank account and social media account. Yesterday, my classmates just found that there is another person use my phone number registered in whatsup. I'm so confused and what should I do NOW?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!!!

Regards,

Cong Chen

---

[stonechucker]

I don’t use the apps that take over your phone number for use in data only messaging, but is it possible the the previous user of the phone number hasn’t updated their app for their new new number?

you’ve had this number for over 3 months now, I think you should be able to keep it.  How long has this been happening, is it just recent?

[computergeek541]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

Why??!! It's not my fault. I bought this phone number on our website. Is it a bug? 

---

---

---

Yeah, it's a bug.  Assigning already active phone numbers seems to be a Telus (and other Telus owed brands) specialty. 

One time, they assigned my number to someone else even though I already had it for a few years.  They had to give the new customer a new phone number.

Usually when this strange stuff happens, my experiences (both personal and from reading) have been that usually the second person to receive the number usually doesn't receive any incoming calls or text messages.   For you, you seem to have taken control of someone else's phone number. I know that this is no fault of yours.

[Carld123]

@hzmy

👍...are you figured out now???

[hzmy]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

Thank you for your reply. If I apply for change another phone number, Can I get a new SIM card or the number just changed automatically?

---

You don't need to get a new SIM card.

Log in self serve, and then 

https://selfserve.publicmobile.ca/Overview/plan-and-Add-ons/msisdn-swap/

This link will take you to the

Phone number change

section,

[Carld123]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

Thank you for your reply. If I apply for change another phone number, Can I get a new SIM card or the number just changed automatically?

---

@nico7nico7

Same sim card....just change your phone number ....

[nico7nico7]

Thank you for your reply. If I apply for change another phone number, Can I get a new SIM card or the number just changed automatically?

[hzmy]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

Why??!! It's not my fault. I bought this phone number on our website. Is it a bug? 

---

It's definitely not a bug, and telecom company recycles the number that are not used, transferred, deactivated, bad account, etc. You know there are only so many permutations of 10^7 x n area code. Plus telecom companies have to always reserve lots of numbers for new account, or businesses.

At this point, arguing about who's fault will be basically pointless.

What I would recommend you to do is to get a new number.

Because the number you use could have some bad history, possibly a debt collector has this number, or God knows how the previous owner used the number.

Plus the number cannot identify you will cause lots of issues if you sign up with different organization that this number has been signed up.

[Carld123]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

Why??!! It's not my fault. I bought this phone number on our website. Is it a bug? 

@nico7nico7

Its definatlely not your fault..but numbers have been used before..  Its happened to me..you can stick it out..tell the people that call the situation..or change your number and start over...

---

[nico7nico7]

Why??!! It's not my fault. I bought this phone number on our website. Is it a bug? 

[Carld123]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

I will delete the picture right now. but If change my phone number, do I need to refresh all my connected bank account, driver's licence, social media accounts?

---

@nico7nico7

What ever contacts/services that required your phone number will need to be updated..

[nico7nico7]

I will delete the picture right now. but If change my phone number, do I need to refresh all my connected bank account, driver's licence, social media accounts?

[hzmy]

It's just bad luck. ..Really. 

[Carld123]

@nico7nico7

Also...delete your posts that include your phone number..this site is public so tobi may not be your only problem if you keep the number😀

[Carld123]

---

@nico7nico7 wrote:

If change my phone number, do I need to refresh all my connected bank account, driver's licence, social media accounts? I mean, that will be aweful!!!

@nico7nico7

Awful yes..but better than whats happening now....??

---

[Alex888]

It's likely that "Tobi" USED to have the number you now have. If you go into your self serve account you can change your phone number. Go to Overview, Plan Details, Change Phone Number.

You won't need to change anything else associated with your account.

[nico7nico7]

If change my phone number, do I need to refresh all my connected bank account, driver's licence, social media accounts? I mean, that will be aweful!!!

[nico7nico7]

It's terrible!!! driving me crazy!

[Carld123]

@nico7nico7

Lots of info and insight...lol...go to self serve and change your phone number....easiest solution.....