GiffGaff

Before You Start

Is it safe to do this now?

Before making changes, consider whether the other person might notice. Changes to your GiffGaff account can trigger:

• Email confirmations (password changes, SIM orders)
• Text messages to your current SIM (security alerts, verification codes)
• Emails about goodybag purchases or account changes

If someone has access to your email or phone, they may see these notifications. Wait until you have a safe window of time.

Good news: GiffGaff is an online-only service with no physical stores. All account management happens through their website or app. This means there’s no paper trail sent to your address.

What you’ll need

• Access to the email address linked to your GiffGaff account
• Your current GiffGaff password (or ability to reset it)
• Access to your phone for verification texts
• Approximately 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted time
• A safe device to make changes from (not a shared computer)

Consider doing first

• Setting up a new email address if your current one may be monitored
• Checking your phone isn’t being monitored with stalkerware
• Noting down any important contacts stored on your SIM

Quick Contacts

Important: GiffGaff is primarily community-run. For sensitive security issues, always use the agent support option rather than posting in public forums.

What to say to agents:

“I need to secure my account urgently. I’m concerned someone else may have access.”

If you want to disclose more:

“I’m in a difficult situation at home and need to make sure my mobile account is completely private and secure.”

GiffGaff agents can add notes to your account about your situation and may be able to add extra security measures.

Check Who Has Access

Check your account email

Your GiffGaff account is controlled by whoever has access to your email. Check:

1. Go to giffgaff.com and log in
2. Click your profile icon (top right)
3. Go to My giffgaff → Account settings
4. Note the email address shown

If this email is shared or compromised, securing your GiffGaff account won’t be effective until you secure your email or change to a new one.

Check recent account activity

Look for signs that someone else has accessed your account:

1. Log in to your GiffGaff account
2. Check Recent activity or Order history
3. Look for:
   • SIM orders you didn’t make
   • Goodybag purchases you didn’t make
   • Account setting changes you didn’t make

Check call forwarding and diverts

Someone may have set up call forwarding to intercept your calls:

1. On your phone, dial *#21# and press call
2. This shows if call forwarding is active
3. If forwarding is enabled and you didn’t set it up, it should be removed

To remove all call diverts, dial ##002# and press call.

Other divert codes to check:

• *#61# — Shows where calls go when unanswered
• *#62# — Shows where calls go when phone is off/no signal
• *#67# — Shows where calls go when you’re on another call

Check your voicemail

1. Call your voicemail (hold 1 or dial 443)
2. Check if the PIN has been changed
3. Check for any greeting changes
4. Review settings for forwarding or notifications

Remove Unwanted Access

Change your password immediately

1. Go to giffgaff.com
2. Click Log in
3. Click Forgotten your password?
4. Enter your email address
5. Check your email for the reset link (arrives within minutes)
6. Create a strong new password that:
   • Is at least 12 characters long
   • Includes numbers and symbols
   • Is not used for any other account
   • Is not something the other person could guess

Note: If someone has access to your email, change your email password first, or update your GiffGaff account to a new email address you control.

Update your account email

If your current email is compromised:

1. Log in to your GiffGaff account
2. Go to My giffgaff → Account settings
3. Click Change email address
4. Enter a new email address only you can access
5. Verify the new email by clicking the link sent to it

Remove call forwarding

To cancel all call diverts immediately:

1. Open your phone dialler
2. Dial ##002#
3. Press call
4. You should see a confirmation message

Reset your voicemail PIN

1. Call 443 from your GiffGaff phone
2. Follow the prompts to access settings
3. Change your voicemail PIN to something only you know
4. Avoid obvious numbers like 1234 or your birthday

Lock Down Your Account

Set a strong, unique password

Your GiffGaff account password is your main protection. Ensure it:

• Is completely different from passwords the other person might know
• Is not based on personal information (birthdays, names, addresses)
• Is stored securely (use a password manager if safe to do so)

Update your security questions

If GiffGaff has security questions on your account:

1. Log in and go to Account settings
2. Update any security questions
3. Choose answers that can’t be guessed by someone who knows you
4. Consider using random answers only you would know

Review contact preferences

Check what communications you receive and where:

1. Go to Account settings → Contact preferences
2. Ensure notifications go to an email only you access
3. Consider what information appears in texts and emails

Secure your payment method

Check what payment methods are saved:

1. Go to My giffgaff → Payment settings or Manage payment methods
2. Review saved cards and bank details
3. Remove any payment methods you don’t recognise
4. Consider whether saved payment details reveal a shared bank account

If using a shared bank account, the other person may be able to see GiffGaff payments on statements.

Consider using top-up vouchers

For maximum privacy, you can:

1. Buy GiffGaff top-up vouchers from supermarkets or shops (cash payment)
2. Use these to add credit or buy goodybags
3. This keeps payments off bank statements entirely

Get Confidential Support

Speaking to GiffGaff agents

GiffGaff’s model is primarily community-based, but they do have agents for sensitive issues:

1. Go to giffgaff.com/support/agents
2. Select the most relevant category (try “Account” or “Security”)
3. Request to speak with an agent privately
4. Explain your situation

What agents can do:

• Add notes to your account about your situation
• Help with account security measures
• Investigate suspicious account activity
• Expedite SIM replacements if needed
• Potentially add additional verification steps

What to ask for:

“I’d like a note added to my account that I’m the only person authorised to make changes, and I’d like extra verification before any SIM swaps are processed.”

Community forums - use with caution

The GiffGaff community forums are public. Never post personal details or specific security concerns publicly. Other members cannot help with account-specific security issues.

If You’re Locked Out

Can’t access your email

If you’ve lost access to the email linked to your GiffGaff account:

1. First, try to recover your email account through your email provider
2. If you can’t recover it, contact GiffGaff agents
3. You’ll need to verify your identity (this may require:)
   • The last four digits of a payment card used on the account
   • Previous goodybag purchases
   • Account registration details

Forgot your password

1. Go to giffgaff.com and click Log in
2. Click Forgotten your password?
3. Enter your registered email address
4. Follow the reset link sent to your email

SIM stopped working unexpectedly

If your SIM suddenly stops working, this could indicate:

• A SIM swap has been done without your knowledge
• Your account has been suspended
• A technical issue

Act immediately:

1. Try to log in to your GiffGaff account online
2. Check your email for any SIM order confirmations you didn’t request
3. Contact GiffGaff agents urgently to investigate
4. If you suspect fraud, ask them to freeze the account

Starting Fresh

Sometimes the safest option is to get a completely new number that the other person doesn’t know.

Getting a new GiffGaff SIM

GiffGaff makes this easy:

1. Order a free SIM from giffgaff.com/free-sim-cards
2. Use a new email address only you can access
3. Have it delivered to a safe address (friend, family member, or workplace)
4. Activate with a new account, not your existing one

No credit checks: GiffGaff is pay-as-you-go and doesn’t require credit checks. There’s no application that could appear on credit reports.

Keeping your old number vs getting new

Keeping your old number (porting):

• Convenient—you don’t need to update contacts
• Risk: The other person knows the number and could potentially try to social-engineer the new provider

Getting a completely new number:

• The other person won’t know your new number
• You control who you give it to
• Fresh start with no history

If you want to keep your number

You can port your GiffGaff number to another network:

1. Log in to your GiffGaff account
2. Request a PAC code (Porting Authorisation Code)
3. Give this code to your new network
4. The number will transfer within one working day

Warning: When you request a PAC, GiffGaff sends a text to your current SIM. If someone is monitoring your phone, they may see this.

Setting up a new account safely

For maximum safety with a new GiffGaff account:

1. Create a new email address the other person doesn’t know about
2. Order the SIM to a safe address
3. Activate the SIM using the new email
4. Top up using cash vouchers if you don’t want payments traceable
5. Only share the new number with people you trust

Red Flags That Suggest Compromise

Watch for these warning signs that someone may have accessed your account:

Account access warnings

• Password reset emails you didn’t request
• Emails about account changes you didn’t make
• Being logged out unexpectedly
• Unable to log in with your usual password

SIM and service warnings

• Your SIM stops working suddenly (possible SIM swap)
• Texts confirming a SIM order you didn’t place
• Friends say they can’t reach you, but your phone seems fine
• Calls or texts you’re expecting don’t arrive

Usage and billing warnings

• Goodybags or credit you didn’t purchase
• High usage you can’t explain
• Unfamiliar numbers in your call/text history
• Payment methods added that you didn’t add

Location and monitoring warnings

• Someone seems to know where you’ve been
• Someone knows details of private conversations
• Someone knows who you’ve been calling or texting
• Your phone battery drains unusually fast (possible spyware)

If you notice any of these:

1. Secure your account immediately using the steps above
2. Contact GiffGaff agents to report the issue
3. Consider whether your phone itself may be compromised
4. Contact Refuge or another support organisation for advice

Additional Support

GiffGaff support

• Agent support: giffgaff.com/support/agents
• Help centre: giffgaff.com/help
• Community: community.giffgaff.com (public - be careful with personal details)

External support

• National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24hr, free, hidden on phone bills)
• Refuge: refuge.org.uk — Tech safety advice and support
• Women’s Aid: womensaid.org.uk
• The Survivors’ Handbook: survivorshandbook.womensaid.org.uk

If you think your phone has spyware

If you suspect monitoring software on your phone:

• Refuge Tech Safety: refuge.org.uk/our-work/forms-of-violence-and-abuse/tech-abuse-2/
• Consider a factory reset (but get advice first—this may alert the abuser)
• A new phone with a new number may be safest

Last verified: December 2025

If anything on this page is out of date, please contact us.