Dog Park Break-In Leads to Phone Hijacking
HOUSTON, Texas — A Houston woman is warning others after a simple trip to the dog park turned into months of digital chaos and identity stress.
According to KHOU 11, the woman’s car was broken into while she was visiting a local dog park. Thieves didn’t steal her phone — but they did take important personal documents left inside the vehicle. That information was later used to attempt to hijack her phone number in what experts describe as a growing form of identity theft.
The victim says she began experiencing issues with her mobile service, including disruptions to calls, texts, and account access. Over time, she discovered someone had been trying to transfer her phone number to another device without her permission — a tactic often referred to as “SIM swapping” or number hijacking.
Once criminals gain control of a phone number, they can intercept verification codes, reset passwords, and access banking, email, and social media accounts. Victims can be locked out of their digital lives in minutes.
“It’s a nightmare,” the woman told KHOU 11, explaining that the issue took months to resolve and required countless calls with her wireless carrier and identity protection services.
Cybersecurity experts recommend never leaving sensitive documents in your car, even briefly. Drivers should also enable extra security features with their mobile carriers, such as account PINs, two-factor authentication, and fraud alerts.
If you suspect your phone number has been compromised, experts say to immediately contact your wireless provider, change important passwords, notify your bank, and file a police report.
The woman hopes sharing her story will help others avoid becoming victims of similar crimes.
