The Trump phone was never a serious phone. Not when it was announced last June, in dodgy renders and with an incoherent spec sheet. Nor when Trump Mobile admitted — just two weeks later — that it wouldn’t be made in the US. Not even when the company revealed the final phone, first to me over a video call in February and then to the world in April through a short commercial with the slick sheen of AI.
Technology
9 ways scammers can use your phone number to try to trick you
Scammers have various methods when it comes to getting their hands on your phone number. You might think, “Well, what’s the big deal? Isn’t it easy to find someone’s number these days, no matter what?” Yes. And if you’ve already had your fair share of telemarketers call you, maybe you feel like you’ve got it under control.
The problem is that scammers with the right knowledge and the wrong intentions can wreak havoc just by having your phone number in their possession.
Once they do, they can use it to trick you in all sorts of ways.
The good news is that by familiarizing yourself with their tactics, you can be one step closer to preventing yourself from falling victim to them. Here’s what you need to know.
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Illustration of a scammer using SIM swapping (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
9 ways you can get scammed if your phone number falls into the wrong hands
In today’s digital age, your phone number is more than just a way for friends and family to reach you. It can be a gateway for scammers to access your personal information and wreak havoc on your life. From phishing attempts to extortion, the risks are numerous and varied. Here are nine ways scammers can exploit your phone number if it falls into the wrong hands:
1. Phishing for other personal information
Scammers can also use your phone number to launch rather easy phishing attacks. They might send text messages or make calls posing as your bank or a popular online service that you subscribe to. The goal is to call you and trick you into providing login credentials, credit card details or other personal information, which they can then use for fraudulent activities. And once they have all your other information, they can do a lot more damage just by having your phone number as that initial segue.
2. Extortion and blackmail
In some cases, scammers use your phone number for extortion or blackmail. They may claim to have compromising information about you and demand payment to keep it private. By contacting you directly, they can apply continuous pressure, making their threats seem more real and immediate.
One unique way they do this to target elderly people is by pretending to be your grandchild or another relative in distress. The scammer often claims that your grandchild is in an emergency situation — such as needing bail money or medical assistance — and urgently requests financial help. With AI voice cloning technology, they may even be able to use your grandchild’s voice. This emotional manipulation usually gets the victim to pay up.
3. Robocalls and spam messages
This one may not be as dramatic, but your phone number can be sold to robocall and spam message services. These automated systems bombard you with unwanted calls and texts, often promoting scams or fraudulent products. While these may seem like minor annoyances, they can lead to bigger scams if you engage with the messages or follow their instructions. Hang up on them.
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Illustration of a scammer with cash in his hand (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
4. Phone number spoofing
Phone number spoofing is a common tactic where scammers disguise their caller ID to appear as a trusted contact by calling from what appears to be a familiar number as it may have the same area code where you live, an area code where your friends or family live or even the actual phone number of someone close which you can recognize.
This makes it more likely that you’ll answer the call, giving them the opportunity to deceive you into revealing personal information or transferring money. This is, of course, the case when phone spoofing is used against you. But in situations where they use YOUR phone number, they can be scamming those close to you without you even knowing!
5. Impersonating government agencies
With these phone spoofing tactics, scammers can use your phone number to impersonate government officials, such as IRS agents or Social Security administrators. They may call you claiming there’s an urgent issue, like unpaid taxes or suspicious activity involving your Social Security number. This ploy often involves threats of legal action or arrest to pressure you into providing sensitive information or making immediate payments.
6. Calling about fake unpaid invoices
Instead of pretending to be from a government agency, another trick is for scammers to try their luck by posing as a representative from a utility company, like an electric or water company. Scammers will claim that you have an overdue invoice and threaten to cut off your service unless you pay immediately. Using your phone number, they can contact you repeatedly, making the scam seem more legitimate (and pressing).
7. SIM swapping/phone rerouting
SIM swapping or a port-out scam is when scammers transfer your phone number to a new SIM card in their possession. By convincing your mobile carrier to reroute your number, they can receive all your calls and messages, including those containing two-factor authentication codes. This allows them to bypass security measures and take over your online accounts.
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8. Stealing your sensitive data
With SIM swapping techniques/port-out, scammers can also use your phone number as a key to access sensitive data stored in your online accounts. By initiating password resets and intercepting verification codes sent via SMS, they can gain unauthorized access to your email, social media and banking accounts, leading to significant personal and financial damage.
9. Setting up fake online accounts
Finally, scammers can use all the tactics above to not only access the accounts you already have but also create fake online accounts in your name. These accounts can be used for a variety of malicious purposes, such as spreading malware, launching further scams or conducting identity theft. The presence of your phone number makes these accounts appear more legitimate, increasing the chances of deceiving others.
A man receiving a scam call (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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How to protect yourself from these scams
To protect your phone number from falling into the hands of scammers, here’s what you can do:
1. Be cautious about sharing your phone number publicly: Avoid posting your phone number on public forums, websites or social media platforms where it can be easily accessed by scammers.
2. Limit exposure of your phone number on social media and other online platforms: Use privacy settings to restrict who can see your contact information. Most social media platforms and online services offer privacy settings that allow you to control who can view your personal information. Make sure to review and adjust these settings regularly. Only share your phone number with trusted contacts.
3. Consider using a secondary number for online registrations and transactions: Services like Google Voice can provide you with a secondary number that you can use for online activities, keeping your primary number private.
4. Monitor your accounts regularly for unusual activity: Check your bank accounts, email and other online accounts for any signs of unauthorized access or suspicious activity.
5. Have strong antivirus software: The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
6. Use two-factor authentication apps instead of SMS-based verification where possible: Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides an extra layer of security that is more difficult for scammers to bypass compared to SMS-based verification.
7. Use an identity theft protection service: Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
One of the best parts of using some services is that they might include identity theft insurance of up to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
8. Remove your personal information from the internet: While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with the information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
If scammers already have your phone number
If you suspect that scammers already have your phone number, take the following steps:
Contact your mobile carrier to alert them of the scam calls, especially if they come from the same number. Your carrier may be able to block the number or provide additional security measures.
Consider changing your phone number if the issue persists: If scam calls continue despite your efforts, changing your phone number may be the best solution.
Report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities: Contact your local law enforcement or consumer protection agency to report scams and seek advice on further actions.
Consider placing fraud alerts on your accounts: Fraud alerts can help protect your credit and financial accounts from unauthorized access.
Monitor your phone for unusual calls or messages: Keep an eye out for any unexpected calls or messages, and do not respond to them.
Check your phone bill for unauthorized charges: Regularly review your phone bill to ensure there are no unexpected charges, which could indicate that your number has been used fraudulently.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to phone number scams and protect your personal information.
RECLAIM YOUR PRIVACY BY DISABLING YOUR CELL PHONE CARRIER’S DATA TRACKING
Kurt’s key takeaways
Scams have become much more sophisticated these days, especially with artificial intelligence, making it easier for scammers to target more people and get away with it. Always be wary of a scam. If you think something seems strange, it’s probably best to go with your gut.
Have you ever experienced a scam involving your phone number? If so, how did you handle it? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter
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A flyer offering “free athletic shoes from VA” may look official at first glance. It uses VA-style branding, talks about health and wellness and even lists the MyVA phone number. That is what makes it so dangerous.
VA says the message falsely claims Veterans can receive free athletic shoes from VA. The agency says the promotion did not come from VA and has no connection to any official VA program.
The scam appears to be spreading through a flyer and online posts. It tells Veterans they may be eligible for free athletic shoes “at no cost to you.” It also shows popular shoe brands, steps to “redeem” shoes and a process that appears to involve a VA provider.
That may be enough to get someone to click, call, share or forward before they stop to think.
MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT FOLLOWS YOU INTO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE
Veterans are being warned not to click links, scan QR codes or share personal information tied to a fake VA shoe offer. (Kira Hofmann/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Fake VA shoe offer: what VA says
VA says the free athletic shoe promotion is fake. It did not come from an official VA program, including VPRs, Central Office or Whole Health.
That is important because the flyer borrows the look and feel of a trusted government agency. It also uses health language to make the offer sound like a wellness benefit.
But let’s be real here. A free pair of shoes can sound harmless until the next step asks for your personal details.
Why the fake VA shoe flyer looks so believable
This scam works because it mixes familiar names with an official-looking design. The flyer uses VA branding, a health-focused message and well-known athletic shoe brands.
It also presents the offer as a benefit. That can make people feel like they may miss out if they do not act.
Scammers know that veterans and families often deal with a lot of paperwork, benefit updates and health care messages. A fake flyer can slide into that confusion and feel more believable than it should.
How scammers use real VA details to build trust
One sneaky detail stands out. The flyer lists the MyVA number, but that alone does not make the flyer real.
Scammers often mix real information with fake offers. A real phone number, real logo or familiar agency name can make people lower their guard.
That is why you should verify the offer through VA.gov, your official VA account or your local VA facility before responding.
What the fake VA shoe offer could steal
The flyer may look like it is only about shoes. The bigger risk comes next.
A fake offer like this could lead to a phishing page, a bogus form, a QR code trap or someone asking for sensitive details. That could include your Social Security number, VA login information, health information, address, bank details or credit card number.
Scammers may also use the information to target you again. Once they know you responded to a fake VA offer, they may try a follow-up call, text or email.
DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT
A fake flyer claiming Veterans can get free athletic shoes from VA is spreading online, but the agency says it is not tied to any official program. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
What to do if you see the fake VA shoe offer
Do not share it. Do not forward it. Do not fill out a form. Do not scan any code connected to it.
Also, do not provide personal, financial or health information because of this flyer.
Instead, warn veterans, family members and colleagues without spreading the image. A quick heads-up can help someone avoid a costly mistake.
Ways to stay safe from VA scams
A few smart habits can help you spot fake VA messages before they turn into a bigger problem.
1) Verify the offer through VA.gov
Go directly to VA.gov or use your official VA account. Do not rely on a flyer, social media post, text message or forwarded image.
2) Do not scan QR codes or click links
A scam flyer may send you to a fake website that looks official. Type the web address yourself or search for the VA page directly.
3) Never share VA login details
Do not give anyone your VA.gov username, password or sign-in code. VA says it will not ask you to share login credentials in an email.
4) Protect personal and health information
Treat your Social Security number, address, date of birth, medical information and benefits details as sensitive. A free offer should never require that kind of information from a random form.
QR CODE EMAIL SCAM TARGETS EMPLOYEE REVIEWS
VA says veterans should verify suspicious benefit offers through VA.gov, an official VA account or a local VA facility. (Antonio Diaz / Getty Images)
5) Call VA using a trusted number
If you have questions, contact VA through an official phone number, the VA website or your local VA facility. Do not trust contact details from a suspicious flyer alone.
6) Report the fake VA shoe offer
Veterans who suspect fraud can report it through VSAFE.gov or call 1-833-38V-SAFE. Reports help VA and other agencies track scams that target veterans.
7) Use strong antivirus protection
Strong antivirus software can help protect you if you click a bad link, scan a risky QR code or land on a fake website tied to a scam. Good protection can block malicious pages, warn you about suspicious downloads and help stop malware before it does damage. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
8) Consider a data removal service
Scammers often use personal details found online to make fake offers feel more believable. A data removal service can help reduce how much of your information is sitting on people-search sites, including your address, phone number and other details that can be used to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.
9) Take action fast if you responded
If you already clicked, scanned, called or shared information, change your VA.gov password right away. Use a trusted password manager to create and store a strong, unique password you do not use anywhere else. Turn on multifactor authentication if you have not already done that. Then watch your accounts for suspicious activity.
10) Warn others without forwarding the flyer
Tell family members, friends and veteran groups that the offer is fake, but do not send the flyer along with your warning. Even if your goal is to help, someone else may miss your warning, save the image or share it again. Instead, send a short message that says the free VA shoe offer is a scam and tell them to verify any VA benefit through VA.gov or their local VA facility.
Kurt’s key takeaways
A free pair of shoes can make you drop your guard, especially when the flyer uses VA branding and familiar shoe names. That is the whole trick. Scammers are using trust to push veterans and families toward a bad link, a fake form or a request for personal info. Slow down and verify it through VA.gov or your local VA facility. And if you want to warn someone, send them a message saying the offer is fake instead of forwarding the flyer itself. That keeps the scam from spreading.
Would this fake VA shoe offer have made you pause, or would the official-looking design have fooled you? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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It’s now on sale for $499, past the days of its tenuous, ever-shifting release dates. A few buyers even have the phone, The Verge among them, though more still seem not to.
It’s clear now that the T1 is a real phone, but that doesn’t mean it’s a serious one. Still, for the next thousand words or so, I will try to take it seriously.
$499
The Good
- It actually exists
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- MicroSD card slot
- It basically runs stock Android
A serious phone wouldn’t look like this
The T1 Phone is a curved slab of cheap gold plastic, the smartphone equivalent of a pair of knockoff wraparound Oakleys. The gold finish — more yellow in certain light, though it certainly does shine and shimmer — is tacky in every sense, with a sticky friction that makes it feel distinctly unpleasant to the touch. My phone arrived with a tiny scratch in the top-right corner.
The phone is fairly thin, and light, but its excessively curved waterfall display feels immediately dated. It also loses one of the chief advantages of that design — better in-hand feel — thanks to the oddly angular frame, which juts into my palm as I hold it.
Almost every detail speaks to bad design. There’s the American flag logo, missing a stripe. The fact that “Trump Mobile” appears on the back twice, in two different orientations and two different fonts. Or the camera module, where the three lenses are spaced at irregular intervals.
There are things to like. The 3.5mm headphone jack will have its fans, as will the microSD card slot inside the phone, or the fact that the phone ships with a case, charger, and braided USB cable. These are things that a certain type of Android fan has lamented the absence of for years.
I, for one, am more excited to be reviewing a phone with a notification light again, a true treat that I thought we’d lost forever. It’s a glimpse of a better world, one I didn’t expect from Trump Mobile of all companies. But like the curved screen, even these welcome touches betray that this is a dated, old-fashioned phone, one based on an old HTC design that already felt like a throwback two years ago.
A serious phone would work outside the US
I live in the UK, meaning I may well have the only Trump phone outside of North America. It cannot maintain any signal stronger than 2G, meaning I can use it for texts and calls but not for data. As best as I can tell from digging through the T1’s FCC certification documents, the phone simply doesn’t support the network bands commonly used in Europe.
The T1 Phone isn’t sold in Europe, and that misshapen flag makes its target market clear. But even Americans get to go on vacation every once in a while. From my experience, it seems unlikely that the T1 would work anywhere in Europe and perhaps not anywhere in the world outside North America.
A serious phone would use more than the minimum hardware
At first glance, the T1’s spec sheet might seem impressive enough: a 120Hz OLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery, a triple rear camera with 50-megapixel sensors.
But the truth is you could find similar specs on almost any $200 Android phone and superior ones on phones sold at this price. Hardware like this is cheap and commodified, something that’s only beginning to change thanks to the ongoing memory crisis. Here, amusingly, the T1 is generously specced: 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM come as standard. Those, along with the inclusion of wireless charging, are the only things that really stand out on this spec sheet.
Despite all that RAM, and Qualcomm’s modestly capable Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, the T1 is often sluggish. It sometimes stutters when switching apps or triggering animations, making even basic apps like Duolingo frustrating to use. This hardware isn’t flagship, but it should certainly be more capable than this. I can only assume Trump Mobile didn’t develop the sort of software and firmware performance optimizations that other manufacturers do, handicapping the phone from the start.
1/16
I suspect the camera’s limitations are for similar reasons. The three rear lenses and single selfie camera take basic, functional photos, at least in good light — with the exception of the 8-megapixel ultrawide, which is uniformly poor.
Other phone manufacturers spend millions optimizing their image pipelines, and none of that work is evident here. Daylight photos are vivid and oversaturated, nighttime shots are noisy, and the telephoto shows no signs of electronic stabilization at all, making it feel shaky and unstable. Incredibly, by default every shot is overlaid with a strangely small T1 watermark — as if anyone should want to take credit for these photos.
1/12
A serious phone would have made more effort in its software
As the Trump phone lurched haltingly toward its launch, the going assumption from many was that it would be a bloated mess, loaded with spyware, crypto apps, and MAGA-themed experiences, putting the president’s leering face front and center.
The truth is rather more mundane. It runs Android — the nearly two-year-old Android 15, to be precise — with almost no modifications at all. This is, in fact, about as close to what the nerds call “stock” Android as you’re ever likely to get these days.
The only preinstalled apps that are out of the ordinary are Truth Social, Trump’s own social media network, and Doctegrity, a telehealth platform that’s included with Trump Mobile’s $47.45 cell service. Beyond that you get a single Trump Mobile wallpaper and those photo watermarks, and that really is that.
In a sense, that’s a good thing — I’m hardly lamenting the lack of bloatware. But there’s also no sign that Trump Mobile has the ability or the intent to optimize its phone’s software or deliver any features beyond the minimum.
More worryingly, Trump Mobile hasn’t announced how long it will support the phone with software updates. When I spoke to executives from the company in February, they seemed confused by my question about how many Android version updates the phone would receive, though they did insist that customers won’t “be locked into what’s there today.” For now, that means a 2024 version of Android with a February 2026 security patch; I wouldn’t hold my breath for either to be updated any time soon.
A serious company would put more effort in
In a strange way, the T1 Phone isn’t all that terrible, but only because it proves how hard it actually is to make a truly terrible phone these days. It’s easy enough to throw together the baseline hardware, stick Android on top, and call it a day. For better or worse, that’s more or less exactly what Trump Mobile has done. Between the simple software and the dated hardware features, the T1 is an oddly compelling phone for some old-school Android fans, but Trump Mobile got there entirely by mistake.
This isn’t a serious phone. It’s a marketing stunt that got out of hand, a way to grab attention and juice the subscriber count for an overpriced cell service with the president’s name on it.
Trump Mobile doesn’t care about this phone. And after the year of reporting on it that’s led to this review, I’m thrilled to finally say: Neither should you.
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