SIM fraud is likely the most common type of fraud occurring today. Most people use their mobile phones, which makes it easy to influence somebody's life by using electronic means. The same applies to SIM card fraud, which is now being referred to as SIM swapping attacks.
A trickster steals a person's SIM card or changes the number using somebody else's SIM card. This trickster then gains unauthorised access to a victim's mobile phone number, controls his or her calls, messages, and eventually gains access to confidential information, such as bank accounts.
Thousands of cases involving SIM card fraud are reported each year, and this trend appears to be worsening.
Overview
With SIM swap frauds rising sharply in India, it’s important to understand how they work, the risks involved, and the preventive steps you can take. The table below captures the key aspects of SIM card scams in a simple snapshot.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| What is a SIM Card Scam? | A fraud where scammers trick mobile providers into transferring your number to a duplicate SIM, also called SIM swapping or SIM hijacking. |
| How Does it Work? | Fraudsters collect personal info → trick the phone provider → hijack the number → intercept OTPs & calls → access bank & social accounts. |
| Recent Case | A soldier lost money after fraudsters got a duplicate SIM from Airtel, intercepted OTPs, and emptied his SBI account. |
| Purpose of SIM Swapping | To gain control over calls, SMS, OTPs, and reset credentials for banking & online accounts, to prevent financial theft. |
| Warning Signs | Sudden loss of network, missed calls/SMS, or alerts of account activity you didn’t initiate. |
| How to Check Active SIMs | Visit the government’s TAFCOP portal, enter your number, and check SIMs registered in your name. Report unknown numbers immediately. |
| How to Protect Yourself | Use PINs with your carrier, enable 2FA (preferably app-based), avoid oversharing personal details, and set alerts for account changes. |
| If You’re a Victim | Contact your mobile provider, alert your bank, and report fraud to Chakshu Portal or cybercrime.gov.in. |
Read more: SIM swap scams.
What Is A SIM Card Scam?
A SIM card scam is an instance of fraud whereby the perpetrator impersonates the owner of the number by duping the mobile providers into transferring the number to a fake SIM card managed by them. Otherwise known as SIM swapping attacks or SIM hijacking scams, this fraud scans open holes in the security of mobile networks and two-factor authentication, allowing criminals to access personal data and gain unauthorised access to the financial information.
Most of these SIM card fraud cases, like the one above, go unnoticed until the victim realises his or her bank account or personal information has been tampered with.
Recent Case Of SIM Swap Fraud
There was, for instance, the case of a soldier who lost a considerable amount of money from his State Bank of India account, as fraudsters managed to obtain a duplicate SIM card for him from Airtel without verifying his identity. Fraudsters took advantage of this security weakness by taking over his phone number, which allowed them to intercept SMS-based authentication messages.
The hackers moved large amounts from his SBI account by using the soldier's personal banking information and his one-time passwords. This is a scam call wherein an easy SIM swap meaning is carried out by telecom service providers with lax verification protocols and the individual's vigilance over account security.
Read More: WhatsApp Scam Alert! Protect Yourself From New Group Message Attacks
How Does A SIM Card Scam Work?
In today’s digital age, fraudsters are finding new ways to misuse your mobile number, and SIM card scams are one of the fastest-growing threats. Let’s break down how these scams actually work so you can spot the red flags early.
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Scammers Gather Personal Information:
First, a hijacking scam gains access to the victim's personal data. Social media thieves steal personal data through phishing, malware, and even by buying it from illegal sources. That alone yields the necessary personal information, but it also enables them to successfully impersonate the victim.
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Tricking the Phone Provider:
Once the fraudster has all the information about the victim, he calls the telephone company and presents himself as the owner of the account. He states that he has misplaced his SIM card and wants a replacement. If all goes as planned, the telephone company will give the scammer his fake SIM card. The scammer will then have the victim's number and messages transferred into his machine.
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Hijacking the Phone Number:
The person then gets the SIM card, and a thief takes the victim's number and begins tapping the security codes, calls, and texts used for two-factor authentication, where security codes are sent to the victim's phone in order to confirm access.
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Accessing Financial Accounts:
The scammer can easily bypass all the security measures, as he will be in control of the phone number of the victim. He will access all financial accounts, social media, and other online platforms. The scammer can even create other bank accounts in the victim's name, secretly, to transfer funds without a hitch. This is highly effective in carrying out financial theft using a stolen SIM card.
Read More: Be Aware of WhatsApp Scam Calls | Country Code
What Is The Purpose Of SIM Swapping?
SIM swapping’s meaning is to gain unauthorised access to a victim’s mobile phone number, enabling scammers to intercept calls, texts, and security codes used for account authentication. By controlling the victim's number, scammers can reset passwords, gain entry into bank and social media accounts, and ultimately steal sensitive information or funds. This method allows fraudsters to bypass standard security measures, especially those using two-factor authentication through SMS, making it a lucrative method for financial theft and data breaches.
Signs That May Indicate A SIM Swap Fraud
You may have a question to ask: Is SIM swapping easy? No, it’s not. Hence, let’s learn how to check whether or not you have fallen prey to SIM card scammers.
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There is a government portal that helps you figure out how many numbers exist under your name.
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Visit the Tafcop portal.
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Fill out your number. They will then send an OTP to that number. Fill out the OTP, and then all the SIM cards under your name will be visible.
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Check all the numbers, and if you find a number that is not yours, report it immediately. In 2 hours, you will get a message regarding the cancellation status.
Read More: New APK Scam: How To Safeguard Your Bank Account & Your Phone
How To Secure Your Mobile Phone From SIM Swap Fraud?
SIM swap fraud is becoming a new danger, usually when fraudsters seize your mobile number to steal access to your banking, online, and other secured information. But nothing can truly save one's phone from fraud more than vigilance coupled with proactive security measures. Here are some key steps:
- Use 2FA for online accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- Choose a strong PIN or password with your mobile service provider for account protection.
- Never share your mobile number or sensitive information on social media or via unsecured channels.
- Enable alerts for account activity, such as SIM swaps or changes.
- Be cautious of unsolicited messages or emails asking for personal details.
- Use app-based authentication methods (e.g., Google Authenticator) instead of SMS-based 2FA.
Read More: ATM Card Tempering Scam: How To Stay Safe
How To Report a SIM Card Scam?
Unfortunately, if you have become a victim of such a scam, you should first reach out to your mobile provider. Explain what happened in detail and ask them to investigate how the scam took place despite concrete authentication procedures.
Secondly, you should also get in touch with your financial organisations to check for any unauthorised transactions. Let them know about the scam so that they can stay alert on their end.
Finally, report the suspected fraud communication to Chakshu. It is an initiative by the government of India that allows citizens to report fraud related to Bank Accounts / Payment Wallets / SIM / Gas connections / Electricity connections / KYC updates/expiry/deactivation, impersonation as a Government official / relative, sextortion, etc.
Conclusion
This is an easy process initiated by the government due to the increase in SIM card scams. With this, you can easily learn how to prevent SIM swap in India and identify your numbers and report all the numbers that aren’t yours. This prevents scams from happening and increases safety as well.
With the rise of scams everywhere, it is important to be cautious about everything. Inform and educate your friends and family about this website so that they can also watch out for scammers and be safe.
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