Can You Retrieve Someone’s Phone Number via Proximity on an iPhone?
In today’s digital world, the way we exchange contact information has certainly evolved. Recently, I had an interesting experience that raised some questions about how far technology can go in terms of sharing personal details like phone numbers.
After a date last night with someone I had previously met on Bumble, we parted ways without exchanging phone numbers. He did provide me with his number at the end of the evening, but I unfortunately didn’t save it or follow up with a text. To my surprise, after I deleted our chat from the app, I received an unexpected text message from him.
This prompted me to wonder: Is it possible for someone to acquire another person’s phone number through proximity using an iPhone? I have my AirDrop settings adjusted to “Contacts Only,” and I was unaware that there was a method for retrieving someone’s number simply by being nearby.
For those unfamiliar, AirDrop allows iPhone users to share files, photos, and contact information over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. However, if your settings are geared towards your contacts, there shouldn’t be a way for someone not in your address book to bypass that setting. Thus, I’m curious if there are ways people can still connect through proximity that I might not have considered.
I am currently using an iPhone XR with the latest software update, and I’m eager to hear from anyone with insights about this. Can technology truly facilitate contact exchanges without direct consent, or could this be a coincidence? Let’s dive into the possibilities and clarify how proximity features work in the world of iPhones.
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