SIM swapping happens when someone is able to steal your phone number by convincing your carrier to port your phone number over to a SIM card they own. For example, someone may call your carrier, pretend to be you, and convince your carrier that you have lost your phone and need to move your number to a new phone.
How Google Fi helps protect your info
Your Google Fi number is tied to your Google Account. This means that anything related to your Google Fi service - including your phone number, your phone contacts, and your billing information - has all the security protections that come with your Google Account.
In order to cancel your service and transfer your number, you’ll need to prove that you are the owner of your Google Fi number:
- When you cancel your service online or through your Google Fi app, you have to be logged in with your Google Account.
- If we detect suspicious activity when you try to view your transfer information, we will require you to verify it’s you.
If you contact Google Fi support for assistance:
- You’ll need to sign into the Google Fi app or use your web account to provide a security code, or accept a security prompt on your mobile device.
Important: A Google Fi support agent will never ask for your Google Account password. An agent may ask for your Google Account username to confirm your account.
Make your Google Fi number more secure
To make your Google Fi number more secure, turn on 2-Step Verification.
Learn how to make your Google Account more secure.
Turn on Number Lock
With Number Lock, you can have an additional layer of protection against illegal SIM swaps. This optional feature is available to Google Fi users at no extra cost.
When Number Lock is on, you can’t:
- Transfer your number to another phone.
- Port your number to another carrier.
Important: If you turn on Number Lock and lose access to your Google Account, Google Fi can't provide your port-out parameters. To prevent this scenario, add a recovery email to the Google Account that's linked to Google Fi.
How to use Number Lock
Turn on Number LockImportant: You can’t transfer your number to a new device or carrier while this lock is active.
- On the web, sign in to your Google Fi account.
- Under “Phone settings,” select Privacy & security.
- Under “Number Lock,” select Sign in to manage Number Lock.
- Re-enter your account credentials.
- Turn on Number Lock.
Important: To transfer your number to a new device or port to another carrier, you need to turn off Number Lock.
- On the web, sign in to your Google Fi account.
- Under “Phone settings,” select Privacy & security.
- Under “Number Lock,” select Sign in to manage Number Lock.
- Re-enter your account credentials.
- Turn off Number Lock.
How Google Fi protects your online activity on the Google Fi W+ network
To give users coverage in more places, Google Fi partners with select high-quality Wi-Fi hotspot providers. Learn about the Google Fi W+ network.
How W+ works- Your device automatically connects to hotspots in the Google Fi Wi-Fi network when available and if you’re eligible. In your network settings, these hotspots appear as “W+.”
- Google Fi consistently checks the W+ network. We only let you use it if it meets our high-quality standard.
Encryption
When you use Google Fi W+, your internet traffic is always encrypted. When you come in range of a W+ network, Google Fi encrypts your connection with the Fi Virtual Carrier Network (VCN). It provides protection for your online activity against hackers and other third parties. To enhance protection, Google Fi VCN:
- Uses a one-time token so that your online activity isn’t tied to your Google Account or phone number.
- Encrypts your online activity between your phone and Google Fi’s VPN servers.
- Hides your IP address.
Your online activity is encrypted between your phone and the Google Fi VCN servers. Encryption protects your data in transit, so third parties can't access it before it reaches our VCN servers. Wi-Fi providers and Google Fi can still check broader traffic information, such as your data usage and connection duration.
Rotated identifiers
Hotspot providers and nearby Wi-Fi sniffers can detect certain identifiers that underlying standard Wi-Fi network protocols use. Sniffers are devices that monitor Wi-Fi traffic to gain network insights, like the number of devices connected to an access point.
To limit bad actors’ ability to track the physical movement of devices associated with these identifiers (refer to table below), Google Fi takes technical steps like rotating identifiers. These identifiers are pseudonymous. This means that they can’t directly identify you without first getting combined with another data set that’s not provided by Google Fi.
For example, without paired information like a photo, the "00:3e:e1:c4:5d:df Media Access Control (MAC)" address can’t identify you. Wi-Fi providers don’t have direct access to other data sets and are legally bound not to identify users outside of the identifiers provided.
| Identifier | Use | Rotation frequency |
| Encrypted user ID included in the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP-TLS) | To make sure you’re a Google Fi subscriber and can use the hotspot | Rotates at least once every 12 hours |
| Media Access Control address (MAC) | Required for the Wi-Fi access point to send internet traffic to your device | Randomizes and rotates every 12 hours |
| Internet Protocol version 6 address (IPv6) | Required for the Wi-Fi access point to send internet traffic to your device |
Rotated every 24 hours However, if you stay connected to the same Wi-Fi access point for more than 24 hours these can last up to 7 days |
Important: No other identifiers or personally identifiable information is shared with our providers. Nearby Wi-Fi sniffers can’t also check the other identifiers or personally identifiable information.
Legal agreements
Legal agreements exist between Google Fi and each W+ network provider. These agreements require hotspot providers to protect the already limited amount of personal information they can check. This means W+ network providers can’t sell or use your data for advertising.
To turn off "automatic connection" to W+:
- Open your device’s Settings menu
Settings.
- Tap Network & Internet
- Tap W+ Connections.
Settings.