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I have Verizon. When I upgrade, I have to go into the app and turn these features off before I upgrade, otherwise I can’t upgrade. AT&T probably will require the same thing.
I also have Verizon and have the features turned on. When I buy a new phone and use the same phone number as before, I do not have to disiable the feature to upgrade the hardware. At least not when I bought my 15 Pro Max, my Ultra2 watch, and my wife's 16 Pro and her Series 9 watch.

In fact, I forgot I even had that feature until I read this article and checked. It's on for all devices on my VZ account.

Unless that has all changed more recently.
 
I also have Verizon and have the features turned on. When I buy a new phone and use the same phone number as before, I do not have to disiable the feature to upgrade the hardware. At least not when I bought my 15 Pro Max, my Ultra2 watch, and my wife's 16 Pro and her Series 9 watch.

In fact, I forgot I even had that feature until I read this article and checked. It's on for all devices on my VZ account.

Unless that has all changed more recently.
It required me to disable it on the Apple app to upgrade. I never tried it on the Verizon app, as I always upgrade through Apple and never Verizon.
 
It required me to disable it on the Apple app to upgrade. I never tried it on the Verizon app, as I always upgrade through Apple and never Verizon.
I don't upgrade through Verizon. I go through Apple. But I use desktop Safari pointed to the Apple store website, and pick up in the B&M store sometimes, and ship to home other times.

I'll probably upgrade to Apple Watch Ultra3 and iPhone Pro Max 18.
 
I don't upgrade through Verizon. I go through Apple. But I use desktop Safari pointed to the Apple store website, and pick up in the B&M store sometimes, and ship to home other times.

I'll probably upgrade to Apple Watch Ultra3 and iPhone Pro Max 18.
I use Apple’s app to upgrade and now that I think about it, I noticed that I never had to disable it when I upgraded to the 15PM almost 2 years ago. I know ahead of time what to do to upgrade to the 17PM in September.
 
Good idea by AT&T.

I used to work for one of the big carriers and the amount of fraud and scamming is mind-blowing. They're all losing millions to account hijacks, SIM swapping fraud, phone upgrade fraud and on and on. Scammers and fraud rings are setting up fraudulent accounts with stolen credit cards and then sending the phones overseas. Gone forever

The SIM hijack is scary insane because once somebody has your SIM, they can access all your accounts with 2 factor. I know people who have been burned, so they have an unlisted burner phone as the 2 factor for their bank accounts and investment accounts.
 
So the onus is on the customer to constantly check their account for new features? I say the onus is on the company to make their customers aware of new features. This is the first time I have heard about a feature like this. I switched to pre-paid several years ago to save money. I hope Mint Mobile gets this feature soon.
Both sides in my opinion are responsible. They need to do better about advertising this stuff without a doubt. But that shouldn’t stop customers from being proactive about securing their accounts. I can understand having a differing opinion and I respect that, this is just mine. 🙂
 

Turn Wireless Account Lock on or off​

You can only turn Wireless Account Lock on or off using the myAT&T app. The app needs to be installed on a device that is active on your Wireless account. Download the myAT&T app now

  1. Open the myAT&T app. Sign in, if asked.
  2. Select Services (second tab at the bottom).
  3. Choose Mobile Security, then scroll to and select Wireless Account Lock.
  4. Scroll to and select Continue.
  5. Choose the account that you want to lock or unlock.
  6. Swipe to lock or unlock the account.
Good to know: Any time a user turns Wireless Account Lock on or off, we’ll send an email to the primary account holder and a text message to each active wireless number on the account.


Thank you I was able to find it
 
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In my country, once you replace the SIM Card (either from one eSIM to another or physical SIM to eSIM vice versa) you can’t send or receive SMS for one day. You can receive and make calls and. Use DATA. To activate the eSIM you could provide alternate mobile number or the email id to receive the SIM activation OPT SMS. One can safeguard their number within this 24 hour time period.

Actually, there is a biometric lock and unlock feature available for one of our country’s important ID Card which links your biometric to the ID which is actually used for many KYC ad ID verification process. You can use your mobile (ONLY from the registered mobile number) app to either switch on or off the lock for Biometric verification. I normally, enable it just before the use and disable after the use.
 
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Good! Should help in reducing SIM related scams. maybe more carriers will have such options in the future.
 
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I already have a PIN on my ATT account that supposedly makes social engineering harder.

What is the difference between this and the PIN, and are they still using the PIN?
 
I’ve had this feature on my account for at least 6 months, if not longer. Maybe I was lucky but I thought they rolled this out a while ago.
Me too. I just went in to turn this on, thinking it was different or enhanced from the other option I had enabled 6 months ago, and sure enough, it was the same exact security option I had already enabled 6 months ago.
 
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I remembered to check the Mint Mobile app for a similar feature. Confirmed.
 

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That is very good idea. It is scary how easy scammers get access your mobile number. We need this kinda of thing in UK! I cannot seem find any option like this on my network (carrier) or my parents network (carrier).
 
t-mobile has a similar feature, but theirs is definitely susceptible to social engineering (or at least it was when i got sim swapped around 2020). i was so furious because they promoted this great new security feature so much, and they didn’t warn me at all in my email or by texting before the port, instead i found out when i woke up to a “no service” status on my phone.

that scammer wasn’t even in my home state but in texas, yet t-mobile reps fell for the social engineering, and the scammer used the sim to take money out of my bank of america account via sms authentication, which laughably was the only 2fa option they had. i couldn’t believe they didn’t stop the transaction when the scammer wasn’t even in my state. after a very lengthy call with their fraud department, i did get the money back about a month later.
 
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