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5h ago

Android’s Default Setting Can Auto‑Link Your SIM Number to Multiple Google Accounts

Carrier-based confirmation of a phone’s SIM number can add a private number to other Google accounts, creating privacy and security risk.

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Auf Android-Handys landet die Rufnummer automatisch in mehreren Konten.

Overview

  • Reports published on Friday, October 16, 2026 show a default Android feature called “Phone number verification” checks the SIM via the carrier and can automatically attach that number to every Google account signed in on the same device.
  • The issue was flagged after a Reddit user received a confirmation email from noreply-phone-verification@google.com and was then reported by multiple German outlets that examined Android settings.
  • Users can stop future automatic linking by opening Settings > Google > All services > Privacy & Security > Bestätigung der Telefonnummer and turning off “Telefonnummern automatisch bestätigen,” though exact menu labels may vary by device.
  • Disabling the feature does not remove numbers already stored in accounts; those must be deleted individually at myaccount.google.com/personal-info under Personal info > Phone.
  • Several Reddit participants said the automatic-verification switch sometimes appeared to re-enable itself when reopened, but that behavior is anecdotal and has not been confirmed by Google or broad technical tests.