I prefer free/libre software as well. I'm really not trying to sound inane when I say that I provide my phone number for the same reason I provide my phone numb

I prefer free/libre software as well. I'm really not trying to sound inane when I say that I provide my phone number for the same reason I provide my phone number directly to my friends with whom I would like to communicate. It allows people I know to identify me among the billions of other people who have phone numbers. To repeat my question, how are apps that require a phone number scamming users?