What should you do if you suspect your SIM has been swapped?

Immediately contact your mobile carrier to report the swap, then change passwords and monitor your accounts for suspicious activity.

Are there any specific groups targeted by SIM swapping scams?

Scammers often target individuals with valuable online accounts, such as cryptocurrency holders or social media influencers, or people who are innocent to such scams.

What should you do if you notice unauthorised transactions after a SIM swap?

Contact your financial institutions to dispute the transactions, report the fraud to authorities, and consider freezing your credit.

How can law enforcement combat the growing problem of SIM swapping?

Law enforcement can work with mobile carriers, financial institutions, and cybersecurity experts to investigate and prosecute SIM swapping cases.

How can law enforcement combat the growing problem of SIM swapping?

Law enforcement can work with mobile carriers, financial institutions, and cybersecurity experts to investigate and prosecute SIM swapping cases.

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Know Everything About Sim Swapping | How Do You Protect Yourself?

Q: What is SIM swapping?

SIM swapping is a type of fraud where a scammer tricks a victim's mobile carrier into transferring the victim's phone number to a SIM card controlled by the scammer.

Komal Bajpai

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 6:12 AM

Know Everything About Sim Swapping | How Do You Protect Yourself?

SIM swapping is a cybercrime where scammers trick phone companies into handing over control of someone's phone number. Once they have it, they can access important things like OTPs for transactions, social media accounts, and other sensitive digital information.

What Is Sim Swapping?

In India, where there are over 1.17 billion mobile users, this kind of fraud is growing fast because getting a new SIM card is easy. Scammers persuade company staff to transfer a victim's number to their own SIM card. Then, they can reset passwords, access emails, and make illegal transfers using OTPs sent to the swapped number.

SIM Swapping or SIM Swap Scam is a well-thought-out cybercrime in which scammers fool phone carriers into giving them control of someone's phone number. Once they have it, they can access critical information such as OTPs for transactions, social media accounts, and other sensitive digital data.

SIM Swap Scams On The Rise

Below important points showcase some alerts of SIM Swap Fraud, which are as follows:

Phone Stops Working

You are unable to call or message any of your friends or family members. This often points to the fact that your SIM card has been deactivated.

Sim Activation Notifications

Your carrier sends a message to your phone that your SIM card or your phone number is currently being used by another user.

Locked Out of Accounts

The annoying part is that you are locked out of accounts because fraudsters have changed your password.

Unauthorized Transactions

Unverified activities present themselves in the credit card or bank statement.

Recent Sim Swapping Scam Cases

Case 1 (Tampa Resident, 2022): A Tampa-based user was locked out of his Coinbase account when hackers cloned 2FA code and stole $15000 worth of crypto.
Case 2 (Another Victim, 2021): Crooks ‘borrowed’ a victim’s 2FA code and with the help of the phone number bought Bitcoins for $ 25000.

How is Sim Swapping Getting Easier?

It seems that now the process of SIM Swap Attack has been made even easier for scammers. Now, SIM swapping is done just through a two-step verification process. The scammers first call the person whose SIM they want to swap. They impersonate officers or other officials to get sensitive information from people.

One such way is when they call, saying they want to improve your internet connection speed. They then convince them to give them the 20-digit number on their SIM card.
It is known as the Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID), printed on a SIM card's back. It is for network registration, security, and device activation.
So, when a person shares their ICCID with scammers, it helps them activate the scammer's SIM card.
After getting the ICCID, they will then ask the victim to press 1, which finally activates the SIM card.
After the SIM card activation, the victim’s SIM card is deactivated.
No internet will work using that SIM card.
All the sensitive and personal information on the phone will then be transferred to the new SIM card. All information, including messages on all the apps, will also be forwarded.

Read More: Ayushman Bharat Yojana

How Does SIM Swapping Work?

A sim Swap Attack tends to collect personal data and information about a particular person sneaking inside its sim card details in the following way.

Collecting Personal Information

Cybercriminals obtain your information through phishing emails, viruses or connections on social media sites. It also means they can buy your data on the dark web.

Contacting the Mobile Carrier

Scammers threaten they are you or suggest that your SIM card has been lost or damaged.
With the collected information they manage to persuade your carrier to unlock a new SIM card in their hands.

Taking Over Your Phone Number

What it means is that the scammer gets full control of the phone number you just provided.
They monitor messages and phone conversations and track 2FA codes and notifications.

Accessing Your Accounts

In cases where criminals intercept 2FA codes, the criminals get into people’s accounts, change passwords and complete unauthorised transactions.

Also read: Aadhar Card Loan

How To Add SIM Lock For SIM Protection?

SIM lock is a feature that requires your SIM to be locked by entering a PIN, which makes the security of the SIM tighter. It demands a PIN code on the lock screen, pattern, fingerprint, or password to unlock your phone, thus preventing unauthorised and improper use.

Lock your SIM card in an Android phone

Follow these steps to secure your SIM card on an Android device:

Open Settings.
There follows the line to Click the Security tab, choose More Security Settings.
Select SIM Card Lock.
Toggle Lock SIM Card.
If locking for the first time, then set the default SIM PIN.
Done.

Lock a SIM Card on iPhone

To lock your SIM card on an iPhone, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Tap on Mobile Service.
Select SIM PIN.
Toggle on SIM PIN.
If your iPhone has two SIMs, firstly, you need to choose the right SIM and only then activate it.
Enter the default PIN.
Done.

What Kind Of Audience Is Targeted In This Scam?

This SIM Swap attack is targeted at people who are most likely to easily fall for it. It is very important to remember that no legitimate organisation will ask you to share such information with them. Especially on the phone, make sure not to convey any personal details. Scammers may get a hold of all your information and might use it to withdraw all the money in the victim's accounts.

How Do You Protect Yourself From Sim Swapping Scam?

The following points showcase the best ways to easily be informed and protect oneself from SIM Card frauds and scams.

Practice Safe Online Behavior

Do not open links in emails that may appear to be an attempt to deceive either individuals or programs.
This makes it easy for you to avoid emails which claim to be from companies and institutions and that are in the real seeking your personal details or cash.

Enhance Account Security

Passwords selected should be powerful and distinctive for a better level of account security.
Make strong security questions that only you can answer and security questions that only you can respond to.

Enable PIN Codes

You should also make your mobile account more secure by creating a PIN or any passcode.

Use Authentication Apps

Instead of the existing implementation of 2FA based on the use of cell phone SMS, it should develop apps such as Google Authenticator that link the 2FA with the user’s device.

Bank and Carrier Alerts

This is one of the most important; register for alerts about any changes or suspicious activity related to the SIM card.

Behavioural Analysis Technology

Banks and carriers can also use customer behaviour analysis to identify those accounts that have been compromised.

Identity Confirmation Through Call-Back

There are companies which call you back to confirm your details to avoid fraud.

What To Do If You Are A Victim Of SIM Card Fraud?

Recognising You Are a Victim of a SIM Swap is quite easy one just needs to watch for these signs of a SIM swap attack:

Loss of Mobile Signal

One day you realise you cannot transact using your mobile phone while other people can.
You cannot call anyone or send texts.

Unexpected Notifications

Your mobile provider will communicate to you that your SIM card or number has been activated or ported without your permission.

Account Access Issues

You’ve had your account hacked and are unable to easily access your bank statement, your e-mail, or any social platform.

Fraudulent Transactions

Some transactions couldn’t be explained on your bank or cryptocurrency portfolio.

Social Media Activity

Contents that were not posted by you are featured on your social media page.

Unusual Calls or Texts

You get a sudden unusual activity on your phone or email, probably as a diversion to get you to switch.

Conclusion

With such SIM Scam Attacks becoming more and more common everywhere, always remember to be extra cautious regarding all your personal information and data. Be updated on such scams to know their new techniques and stay ahead of scammers. Report any suspicious activity to the authorities as well. Inform and educate all your friends and family to make sure they don’t fall prey to these scammers.

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