SIM Swaps: What You Should Know

Hackers can trick your carrier into transferring your account and phone number to a SIM card they control. Learn about SIM swap scams and protection to ensure your security.

How do SIM swap attacks work?

SIM swaps are common telephone scams involving porting your phone number to a different SIM card, often done for legitimate reasons like replacing a lost or damaged phone. However, unauthorized SIM card diversions, known as "SIM swapping," occur when thieves manipulate carriers into transferring your number to a SIM card they control. Here’s the process:

• A thief calls your carrier, posing as you, and requests a new SIM.
• They may use spoofed caller IDs for credibility.
• A support agent may unwittingly authorize the swap.
• Once the new SIM is delivered, the thief can access your phone number.
• With control over your number, they exploit it for identity theft, accessing accounts, transferring funds, and selling personal information online.

How do hackers execute SIM swaps? ‍

After a SIM swap, hackers intercept communications meant for you, including login codes for sensitive accounts. They use this information to log in, often changing passwords to lock you out and accessing your personally identifiable information (PII). Even data breaches like the recent T-Mobile incident provide scammers with enough personal information to exploit security questions and complete a SIM swap.

Legal implications and detection.

‍SIM swapping is illegal as it constitutes identity theft, but tracking perpetrators can be challenging. Detection involves recognizing signs like inability to make calls or access linked accounts, unauthorized transactions, and suspicious login attempts. As carriers' authentication processes are vulnerable, relying solely on carrier protection is insufficient.

Recovery and prevention steps.

‍Recovering from a SIM swap is arduous and time-consuming, with victims facing financial and personal repercussions. Shield yourself by taking the following precautions:

1. Limit the personal information you share online (PII security is key).
2. Do not use easy-to-guess security questions for verification.
3. Choosing more complex methods like 2FA to restrict and protect your accounts.

How IDShield can help:

‍IDShield actively monitors credit, bank accounts, and even members’ phone numbers 24/7. We can also monitor your Social Security number to ensure it’s not for sale on the dark web. If your data turns up anywhere it shouldn’t be, we alert you immediately and work with you to solve the problem.

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If you’re already enrolled, please get in touch with our identity theft specialists about SIM swapping and any other privacy concerns.

If you still need to enroll, please consider doing so at your next opportunity.