Recycled phone numbers

[Vinster1]

Hello, I recently bought a new sim for my phone. This number was purchased purely to be used as a work contact. Since I have had it I've received texts from various companies. I contacted one and asked him who they were trying to contact. It most definitely wasn't me. They told me EE recycled the numbers. I am not happy with my number  been used before, I need a secure number for my job and this is causing me concerns. 

[Chris_B]

@Vinster1 there isn’t an infinite supplier phone numbers so unused numbers eventually get recycled.   This takes well over a year for this to happen though.    So the number you’ve got wasn’t used for 9 months by anyone before it went into quarantine and then it sat there not being allocated to a SIM card for quite some time before it eventually got issued to another SIM card.     

[Vinster1]

That is all well and good but when you buy a new sim card you expect a new number for you only. Not one that has a history. I now receive texts asking if I want jobs and money loans for the same person. 

[Alex_H · Accepted solution]

Hi @Vinster1,

Welcome to the EE Community

I do appreciate what you are saying, it will be frustrating getting calls and texts meant for someone else. As @Chris_B explained  numbers do have to be recycled so that the UK does not run out of mobile numbers, but there is a long time before recycling to help avoid situations like yours.

However if you are receiving a lot of nuisance calls and texts meant for the previous user, the best thing to do would be call us on 150 and one of our guides will be able to help with resolving it.

Alex