There are many ways that scammers use to target you that you may be familiar with, such as malware to infiltrate your computer, or phishing to get information online, but there are other methods that are not as common as SIM swap scams. You've heard about this before, but it's just as dangerous as other hacking and scam methods. Read on to find out what this means? How do you protect yourself from this type of fraud?
What is a SIM?
SIM letters are an abbreviation for Subscriber Identity Module, and as is known to everyone, it is a small chip that is placed in the phone and you can switch it between more than one phone with ease. SIM cards are unique and can store very little data, the most important of which is the data that identifies your subscription with your carrier.
As long as your SIM is active, no other person or SIM can activate your phone number on their own device, so even if you switch phones, your number will remain as long as you have that SIM.
SIM swap fraud
For SIM swap scam, also known as simjacking Or SIM swapping, a scam that occurs when someone tries to take over the victim’s phone number and activate it on their own phone, thus exploiting the two-step verification required by most websites these days, and the activation message arrives on their phone instead of your phone.
How fraud occurs when swapping SIM
It doesn't require the hacker to be close to you and take your phone and actually replace the SIM but the scammers get enough information about the person in advance, and the scammer will then use this information to contact the victim's carrier and try to convince them to transfer the victim's phone number to a new SIM card that he receives, or The SIM card is changed to an eSIM card, so he does not have to receive it, but rather receive it via e-mail.
How do they do it? Scammers will use different methods, they can use malware to collect information from someone's device or send phishing emails in which the scammers say they are customer service and ask for the data they need.
The fraudster might use a much simpler method, such as using social media platforms and secretly collecting the information they need to talk to the carrier. This is why you should not post too much information in any unofficial or unreliable conversations.
Consequences of SIM swap fraud
This scam creates many problems if someone can get your phone number in this way. The scammer can not only access your social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, etc., but also your email, or even your bank accounts and other investment platforms that you use.
The scammer can then use your profile to start phishing your friends and family, make bank transfers, or even blackmail you into giving them the money they want.
How will you know if you are a victim of SIM exchange fraud?
The quickest way to find out if your SIM card has been swapped is for your device to lose network connectivity, and you won't be able to make cellular calls, send texts, or even use roaming data.
Another way to find out is when a scammer tries to enter your accounts using a two-step verification process. Platforms like Gmail will let you know and if they think someone shouldn't have accessed your account.
Another way you might find out is when you start seeing some changes on the social media platforms or other accounts you use. And if you see transactions or posts that you didn't post, someone else might be using your account.
What do I do if I am a victim of a SIM swap?
If you notice that your SIM is starting to have problems try turning off the phone and then opening it again and if the error persists that you are not connected to the telecom network, you should immediately contact your mobile service carrier.
What can I do to prevent SIM swap fraud?
The good thing is, you don't have to wait to be cheated on a SIM swap before taking any action. You can start to make sure that you are safe against these attacks.
You can start by talking to the carrier, asking them what security measures they have against this type of fraud and what kind of information they require before moving your phone number to a different SIM card.
It would be better to make your social media profiles more secure and private, as posting too much information is not only dangerous, but with some recent data breaches on Facebook, you cannot trust any social media platform to store your information securely. You should also avoid giving too much information to most people, both online and in real life.
You can also try to open different email accounts and use your most private email account, the one that almost no one knows about, to log into your most important accounts, such as your bank accounts.
Be careful of the emails that come to you. And remember that one method that scammers commonly use is phishing, where they impersonate a legitimate company to get your private information. Phishing is more common and easier than you think, so always avoid giving out sensitive information in any email. Call the company or visit them directly to confirm their identity.
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