Encourage Public Mobile to drop 2 factor authentication, is not safe, authenticator apps are safer.

[Iamnature]

This is the conclusion of the GTA Police, after they tracked down many folk, stealing SIM's, pretending to be the customer and then getting access to the 2 factor authentication as they were getting the verification codes, while you are left out of the picture, calling your cell provider, trying to convince them that they have been scammed. Now, with a company like Public, the only way to access them is by text message, you would have a hard time getting anyone, as your phone would no longer work, lol. They also steal your bank accounts and CC info., its a very tough spot to be in. So, I suggest that Public Mobile offer Authentication apps as a secondary way, if not the primary way of getting access to your account. Public has no human contact in Customer Support, so the need is greater with this type of cell provider! No phone # to access customer support! Thus the need to allow for the use of authentication apps.

[QQQQQ]

It is ridiculous that in 2024 there are not other easy to implement 2FA methods available for Public Mobile.  We all know SMS is less secure.  PM have made a conscious choice to leave their customers vulnerable by not offering more secure methods such as keys for authenticator apps, security keys, etc.  At minimum, if you want to disable receiving 2FA codes via SMS and rely only on receiving via email, you should be provided this option.  

[Wayworn]

 Not only cell providers use the 2FA but also just about all services such as Banks, Credit cards, even revenue Canada. We all have to consider what info we post for all to see. It’s beyond me why some , including family members post just about all private personal info from pets names to even what they had for dinner. All that personal info can be gathered by crooks to make a phony profile and scam them.  We are constantly warned about the perils of posting personal info but many just continue to do so - very weird isn’t it?

[Iamnature]

Response from PM is, "we are working on it and they appreciate my feedback, lol." So they know this is a problem. I use lockdown on my iphone, I find that it is a good practice, limits some apps, but my privacy is more important to me than app performance, so as an example, if I want to use airdrop, I have to disable lockdown and then change the setting back to lockdown afterwards, not too difficult to do, takes a few minutes.

[Iamnature]

Public Mobile, at a minimum needs to set up an help line, I guess you can use messenger, but a phone line would be best, for folk who know that their phone number has been stolen, the means is not of great importance, but a way around this type of theft does not exist on Public Mobile, I'm waiting for a response from a support agent.

[BKNS27]

@Iamnature 

SIM swapping is not a new thing. Lately I have been reading about scammers stealing iPhones and changing the Apple ID so the original owner can’t access their account and use their Apple Pay and accessing their bank account then factory reset the iPhone and reselling it.

I would be curious on the number stats of how many tried to scam into members account on PM.

There are questions posted on this Community that are questionable and 🎣 to by-passing the security protocol or even tried contacting a CS_Agent and tried answering the credential questions.

[golfball]

@LeighWebber You can type to the chatbot "submit ticket" and then follow the prompts. If that doesn't work you can message support directly from this page: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

[slusagm]

To use Chatbot to open ticket, you will need to type Submit Ticket, and choose Contact Us and then enter the login username password and it will bring you to the ticket open page

[LeighWebber]

How exactly do you reach a human customer support agent? Every time I try the chatbot just goes into a loop asking me to choose one of the suggested questions to ask.

[will13am]

2FA is just one layer of digital protection.  You have to ask yourself how can someone expose themselves to being SIM jacked.  

[computergeek541]

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@Iamnature wrote:

This is the conclusion of the GTA Police, after they tracked down many folk, stealing SIM's, pretending to be the customer and then getting access to the 2 factor authentication as they were getting the verification codes, while you are left out of the picture, calling your cell provider, trying to convince them that they have been scammed. Now, with a company like Public, the only way to access them is by text message, you would have a hard time getting anyone, as your phone would no longer work, lol. They also steal your bank accounts and CC info., its a very tough spot to be in. So, I suggest that Public Mobile offer Authentication apps as a secondary way, if not the primary way of getting access to your account. Public has no human contact in Customer Support, so the need is greater with this type of cell provider! No phone # to access customer support! Thus the need to allow for the use of authentication apps.

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Public Mobiler does indeed have humans staffing the customer service department.   As for not using an authenticator, this likely was a decisions to keep a balance between security and ease of use.

[Community_QA_]

2fa is not safest but better than none

Check around how many Canadian mobile providers is using and enforcing 2FA and you will know this is still a better way