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Do you use a separate mobile number only for finance?

  • Thread starter Thread starter muk9998
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muk9998

TF Premier
Do you use a separate mobile number only for finance?

Lately I’ve been thinking about cybersecurity in banking and wanted to ask if anyone here has tried this:

👉 Keeping one primary number for daily use (calls, social apps, shopping, etc.)
👉 And a second number used only for finance (bank accounts, UPI, credit cards, etc.), never shared anywhere else.

The idea is to reduce the risk in case our regular number gets leaked in data breaches, phishing, or SIM-swap scams.

Recently, I checked on a paid data-leak site and found my primary number in 30+ places, along with email and other details 😓. That made me wonder if it’s better to keep a finance-only number strictly private.

A few doubts I have:

Has anyone here actually tried this setup? How do you manage it—dual SIM or separate phone?

After changing mobile number for finance, how long does it take for CIBIL and other bureaus to update to the new number?

Any hidden issues (like banks not accepting a fresh number, or OTP delivery problems)?


Would love to hear your experiences. Is it really worth the effort, or just extra hassle?


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ChatGPT
 
I should also add – I’ve been using my primary number for everything since the beginning. I’ve done so many deals, registered on countless portals, and now my inbox is literally flooded with junk mail.

This number is actually very old – my brother gave it to me when I was around 17 years old – and since then I’ve been using it everywhere without thinking about data privacy. No wonder it showed up on 30+ leaked sites when I checked 😅.

That’s why I’m seriously considering shifting all financial activity to a fresh number and keeping this old one just for daily use.


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Idea is good but too much work.

if you chnage the no. there is no guarantee that the new number you got is fresh number (not previously used by someone). Recently i bought new sim and now no. Belong to someone who took loan and not paid now i got all the emi relared msg and call.

Suppose if you get the fresh number and change in the bank. Still you have to register the no. To some webaite who sell your personal data like CRED, GPAY, PHONEPAY, TRUECALLER etc.

But yes best case scenario i suggest to not get scammed - dont change everything to new no. and email
1. Get 1 sim may be pay extra for vip no. hopping its a fresh no.
2. Open one primary bank account.
3. Put emergency fund and transfer all the salary in this acc via NEFT
4. And transfer the only money back to 2nd acc whenever you need.
5. Use the 2nd acc for credit card, upi and all other.
6. Reduce credit card transaction limit to 5000. Only increase when you need.
7. Dont use random website for cashback, gift coupon, upi payment.
8. Turn off international transaction, tap and pay, atm withdrawal.

Most imp
9. Buy a total security antivirus for your phone and laptop.
10. Always check the url before opening dont just click.
11. Always put wrong usernames and password on the 1st attempt while login to any banking website to make sure the website is genuine.
12. Dont use anyone else / public computer or wifi / Hotspot specially when you have to use banking related service.
13. Never charge your phone at public place if the charging port is ctype or usb. Only charge where the adapter is available.
 
Idea is good but too much work.

if you chnage the no. there is no guarantee that the new number you got is fresh number (not previously used by someone). Recently i bought new sim and now no. Belong to someone who took loan and not paid now i got all the emi relared msg and call.

Suppose if you get the fresh number and change in the bank. Still you have to register the no. To some webaite who sell your personal data like CRED, GPAY, PHONEPAY, TRUECALLER etc.

But yes best case scenario i suggest to not get scammed - dont change everything to new no. and email
1. Get 1 sim may be pay extra for vip no. hopping its a fresh no.
2. Open one primary bank account.
3. Put emergency fund and transfer all the salary in this acc via NEFT
4. And transfer the only money back to 2nd acc whenever you need.
5. Use the 2nd acc for credit card, upi and all other.
6. Reduce credit card transaction limit to 5000. Only increase when you need.
7. Dont use random website for cashback, gift coupon, upi payment.
8. Turn off international transaction, tap and pay, atm withdrawal.

Most imp
9. Buy a total security antivirus for your phone and laptop.
10. Always check the url before opening dont just click.
11. Always put wrong usernames and password on the 1st attempt while login to any banking website to make sure the website is genuine.
12. Dont use anyone else / public computer or wifi / Hotspot specially when you have to use banking related service.
13. Never charge your phone at public place if the charging port is ctype or usb. Only charge where the adapter is available.
A good read on a Sunday to me🙂
Hope u r a good cyber soldier 👌
 
Why buy a new SIM now.
Nowadays, almost all of us have n use 2 SIMs. Shift the less used SIM to a separate device n use that SIM+device for ONLY bank trxns. In a family, you will always find such SIMs.

And, use the most used SIM for all n sundry uses - browsing, UPI, social media, talking n SMS.....
 
I use a different number nd differnt email for Finance and main bank account. It is in a differnt handset. I have a payment bank and a low limit rupay card linked to my primary number and use it for general UPI purposes. Transfer money to that from main account in small batches. I neve use my main account to make payment to any unknown persons and use NEFT/RTGS only for making payment to known persons.
 
Would love to hear your experiences. Is it really worth the effort, or just extra hassle?
Yes, I have been using two SIMs for the last 8-9 years. It has worked pretty well thus far.

Earlier, the SIMs were in two different phones but now for the last 3-4 years both the SIMs are in a dual SIM android phone.

The two numbers are being used in this way:-

* One number is for common use - family, friends, acquaintances, shops, contacts, etc. It is not linked to any bank account or credit card or UPI etc.​
* The other number is primarily for finances - linked to Adhaar card, bank accounts, credit cards, UPI, etc. Fewer people have it. At times, even if I get a call from a known person on this number, I avoid answering it. If it's important, he/she gives a call on the other common-use number.​

This set-up has worked very nice for me. Since I have been using these numbers for the last 8-9 years, so there is no issue of any OTP, SMSes or financial transactions etc. Both the numbers have WhatsApp in the same android phone (dual set-up configuration), so there is no hassle at all of carrying two different phones. So, my experience has been positive.

Based on my experience, I would recommend that you adopt this approach if it suits you.

Try to get a totally new number if possible. You can check out this article how-to-get-unused-new-mobile-number for some insights on how to go about it. Or as someone else mentioned, try and recycle a family number so that the cyber fraud threat is miniscule and remains within the family.

Even if you get an old i.e. pre-used number, after say 6 months or 1 year, you should stop getting any unsolicited/erroneous calls based on the previous SIM ownership. When you are reasonably sure, then you can shift your financial transactions to this new number.

Hope this helps. 🙂
 
1. Use for finance and close family/friend
2. Use for all other grocery/travel apps
3. Scrap SIM for jamtara spammers: share in mall/restaurant/lifestyle_olx etc and all spammy places

Delinked mob no from upi so anyone input any of 3 mob no in upi...it gives error mob no not liked to upi

Only use upi app with custom upi id like paytm, yes pay

All 3 sim in diff mob...3rd mob kept at home for apna complex notifications....calls and sms on silent ...never pick any call
 
Yea!!

It's actually smart to use a separate number for your fiance.

You'll always know when they call and can give extra priority 👍🏻
 
Do you use a separate mobile number only for finance?

Lately I’ve been thinking about cybersecurity in banking and wanted to ask if anyone here has tried this:

👉 Keeping one primary number for daily use (calls, social apps, shopping, etc.)
👉 And a second number used only for finance (bank accounts, UPI, credit cards, etc.), never shared anywhere else.

The idea is to reduce the risk in case our regular number gets leaked in data breaches, phishing, or SIM-swap scams.

Recently, I checked on a paid data-leak site and found my primary number in 30+ places, along with email and other details 😓. That made me wonder if it’s better to keep a finance-only number strictly private.

A few doubts I have:

Has anyone here actually tried this setup? How do you manage it—dual SIM or separate phone?

After changing mobile number for finance, how long does it take for CIBIL and other bureaus to update to the new number?

Any hidden issues (like banks not accepting a fresh number, or OTP delivery problems)?


Would love to hear your experiences. Is it really worth the effort, or just extra hassle?


---

ChatGPT
Useless idea in this digital world, it doesn't matter how much you care, even your handset leaks the data.
 
I have one payment bank acct and one low limit rupay CC linked to my general number for all petty transactions. I transfer small amounts to this payment bank from my main acct.
My major bank accounts & most credit cards etc linked to another mobile (in diff handset) and different email. For large payments I do not use UPI and only use NEFT/RTGS.
 
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