Once you activate with public mobile your old # automatically ports over to public mobile and cancels your old plan with other provider. I found Walmart representative super helpful if you need someone to do it for you.
Try calling phone sooner than later while it has charge. If no one answers, then access email by retrieving forgotten password. Disable autopay through credit card/debit. This will tide you over if phone is being used by whomever has it. But your bes...