> to use the phone number to restore access to the account. No. Phone number is not associated to a person for a life time. It can be "rented out" to someone e

> to use the phone number to restore access to the account. No. Phone number is not associated to a person for a life time. It can be "rented out" to someone else if stopped being used. However an "account" is (as has credit cards and such). So phone number cannot identify an account solely, without anything else in addition.