SIM Swap Scams: How to Protect Yourself (2023)

FAQs

Can you prevent SIM swapping? ›

Fraudsters may be able to take over your phone number with a SIM swap or port-out scam and then break into your online accounts. You can protect yourself by enabling security measures from your carrier and adding extra protections to your accounts.

How it Works. Bad actors may target people who have valuable social media or financial accounts for SIM swap fraud. To successfully commit this type of fraud, they need additional information about you, like your email, home address, and your phone number.

SIM swap fraud occurs when scammers take advantage of a weakness in two-factor authentication and verification and use your phone number to access your accounts. SIM swapping happens when scammers contact your mobile phone's carrier and trick them into activating a SIM card that the fraudsters have.

When doing a SIM swap, all your services remain unchanged due to the services being linked to your cellphone number and not the SIM number. The PIN and PUK numbers of your new SIM will not be the same as the old SIM card. Your RICA information will also be moved to the new SIM when the SIM swap is successful.

Request a new SIM

Select the cellphone number that you want to do the SIM Swap on and click on the SIM Swap button. Complete the form by filling in your personal details, selecting the correct SIM Card size and delivery method.

How long will my SIM Swap take? The SIM transfer will take up to 24 hours. You'll know it's taking place when your old SIM loses signal. When this happens, put your new SIM in your phone and turn it off and on again to complete the transfer.

To keep your mobile number and transfer it to another network, you need to request what's called a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) from your old provider and then let your new provider know the code. They will then schedule the switch.

How can I blacklist my cellphone? Inform your network provider of your loss: Cell C: 140 from Cell C numbers or 084-140 from other cellphone networks.

Can someone hack my bank account with my phone number? ›

With your phone number, a hacker can start hijacking your accounts one by one by having a password reset sent to your phone. They can trick automated systems — like your bank — into thinking they're you when you call customer service.

How to know who is tracking your phone. You can immediately check if your phone has been compromised, or if your calls, messages etc have been forwarded without your knowledge. All you need to do is dial a few USSD codes - ##002#, *#21#, and *#62# from your phone's dialer.

Use the code *#21# to see if hackers track your phone with malicious intent. You can also use this code to verify if your calls, messages, or other data are being diverted. It also shows your diverted information's status and the number to which the information is transferred.

You can also call the Customer Care line *77 (800 77 00 77) or visit one of Vodafone stores. To block the SIM, you have to know the user password. We will block your SIM Card within 60 minutes of your request. The blocking of the SIM Card is free of charge.

A SIM card lock keeps your device from being used on any other network except yours. For example, if you have wireless service with us, then your SIM lock prevents someone else from using your phone on a different carrier. It's a security measure. Your SIM card may be locked by the phone's manufacturer when you get it.

In some cases, your SIM card can become worn over time, causing you to replace it. In either case, you must contact your mobile service company to deactivate your SIM card and then dispose of it in a way that prevents your information from being extracted from it.

It's important to reiterate that it's not possible for someone to just simply type your number into some shady software and click “HACK”. There is usually a process of tricking you into doing something as mentioned above.

SIM swapping is when a hacker convinces your cell phone carrier to switch your phone number to a different SIM - one that they own. This is a relatively normal thing for a retail employee to do, which means that someone asking for a swap doesn't raise red flags.

To see if the phone your using is dual-SIM, go into your phone's Settings app. Tap on Network and internet. The SIM cards option should be right below Airplane mode. If you see that the option shows you two slots for a SIM card, your phone is Dual-SIM.

Yes, you can. If you move from one network to another then you need to ask your old network for a PAC code, and give it to your new network within 30 days. Your new network will port your mobile number over to your new SIM.

How can I block my MTN SIM card? ›

In this situation your old SIM is active and you can receive an SMS on it. SMS 'Swap' to 44770 from your old SIM. You will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) via SMS which is valid for 15 minutes. Please save or write it down.

SIM swapping is when someone hijacks your mobile phone number to gain access to your texts and calls. Cellular fraud is defined as the unauthorized use, tampering or manipulation of a cellular phone or service. Types of cellular fraud include SIM swapping, cloning and subscriber fraud.

An MTN SIM swap can take up to 4 hours to complete in busy periods, however it's usually much quicker to do a SIM Swap for MTN.

How long does a SIM swap take? According to Vodacom, it takes between 2 and 24 hours for your SIM to be swapped. Once it's done, you will be able to use your new SIM. The good news is that after using the Vodacom SIM swap USSD code as given above, you will keep all your contacts, data and airtime.

All SIM cards have PIN codes, but using them is optional, as you can choose to disable them. However, we do believe that you need a SIM PIN. If your smartphone is stolen, the thief probably wants it for its value on the black market, not to make phone calls or access the internet using your voice and data plan.

PIN is set to prevent unauthorized user to access your SIM. If your device locks when used with a SIM card and requesting for PIN code, simply insert your PIN code to unlock your SIM card. A new SIM card usually comes with a temporary default PIN of 0123 or 1234.

The default SIM PIN is 1111.

SIM swapping happens when scammers contact your mobile phone's carrier and trick them into activating a SIM card that the fraudsters have. Once this occurs, the scammers have control over your phone number. Anyone calling or texting this number will contact the scammers' device, not your smartphone.

According to a recent FBI public service announcement, SIM swap scams are on the rise — and causing massive losses to victims. Throughout 2021, the FBI received 1,611 reports of SIM swapping, with losses totaling over $68 million.

How long does it take to transfer old number to new SIM? ›

Sim swaps can take up to 24 hours to complete. Once you lose signal with your original sim, turn your device off and turn it back on. If you're using a plastic sim, pop it in your device.

We'll send you a text or email to confirm your number has been moved over. If you send your form before 5pm during the week, your number should be transferred the next working day. There you go.

Data that SIM cards contain include user identity, location and phone number, network authorization data, personal security keys, contact lists and stored text messages. SIM cards allow a mobile user to use this data and the features that come with them.

1. Contact Carrier. You can ask a Community Phone representative directly if your old number is still available for activation or if someone else has been allocated it by giving them a call. If your old number is inactive, Community Phone can get it for you.

Once it's reported stolen by you, the IMEI number is blacklisted across the country. If an IMEI device on the black list is used to make a call, the police will get to know about it immediately. There is a chance that they will track the phone if it comes up for resale or reset.

Yes, the police can track a stolen phone using either your phone number or the phone's IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity). Whether or not the police prioritize looking for your stolen phone is another matter.

Signs That Someone Has Remote Access to Your Phone

The battery drains quickly even when not in use. Higher data usage than usual. Noises in the background when you're on a phone call. You receive unusual messages, emails, or notifications.

Am I going to get my money back? Your bank should refund any money stolen from you as a result of fraud and identity theft. They should do this as soon as possible - ideally by the end of the next working day after you report the problem.

How do I block my phone from being tracked? ›

The answer to that is a simple yes! All phones, whether an iPhone or an android, can be tracked down without a sim card or network. Still, they will need to have a secure Wi-Fi connection to be accurate.

Android code: *#*#4636#*#*

This code will open up a menu that shows information about your phone's data usages. Here's how you can retrieve deleted text messages on your iPhone.

If you've recently sideloaded apps on Android, they might be to blame for the hack. Therefore, to unhack your phone, delete all recently-downloaded apps from it.

Our ruling: False. We rate the claim that dialing *#21# on an iPhone or Android device reveals if a phone has been tapped FALSE because it is not supported by our research.

Answer: A: Apple can't do anything to prevent SIM swaps of any kind. “SIM swap” is a misnomer; the physical SIM is not swapped; what happens is a criminal contacts the carrier and gets a new SIM issued with your phone number, which cancels your SIM.

Account Takeover Protection is a free feature offered to T-Mobile customers. It adds additional security to your account by blocking unauthorized users from transferring your lines to another wireless carrier. This service must be added to each line on your account individually.

Other readers e-mailed the Nation, narrating how they lost money from their accounts, ranging from Sh22,000 to millions following Sim swaps. On its official website under cyber security and impersonation section, Safaricom explains that a Sim swap is whereby fraudsters replace and take over the customer's line.

Should you lock your SIM? ›

All SIM cards have PIN codes, but using them is optional, as you can choose to disable them. However, we do believe that you need a SIM PIN. If your smartphone is stolen, the thief probably wants it for its value on the black market, not to make phone calls or access the internet using your voice and data plan.

Essentially, SIM lock requires your lock screen PIN, pattern, password, or fingerprint and SIM card to be in place before the phone can be unlocked. You can kind of think of it as physical two-factor authentication, which deters thieves from removing the SIM in order to avoid being tracked.

PIN is set to prevent unauthorized user to access your SIM. If your device locks when used with a SIM card and requesting for PIN code, simply insert your PIN code to unlock your SIM card. A new SIM card usually comes with a temporary default PIN of 0123 or 1234.

With your phone number, a hacker can start hijacking your accounts one by one by having a password reset sent to your phone. They can trick automated systems — like your bank — into thinking they're you when you call customer service.

It's important to reiterate that it's not possible for someone to just simply type your number into some shady software and click “HACK”. There is usually a process of tricking you into doing something as mentioned above.

Even if you're not a customer, the hack of T-Mobile should give you pause and a reason to take action. You've likely heard that T-Mobile was hacked causing a massive data breach in August 2021. In this data breach involving 50 million records, even those who aren't currently T-Mobile customers have been affected.

In California, you can sue T-Mobile for a maximum of $10,000 if you are an individual. If you are a business suing T-Mobile, you can sue for a maximum of $5,000.

Try refreshing the page. The second largest U.S. wireless carrier, T-Mobile, has agreed to pay $350 million to settle multiple class-action suits. This all stems from a data breach disclosed last year affecting around 53 million customers personal data.

Here's how to block Safaricom SIM Swaps:

Dial *100*100# You have to do it on your own line. It cannot be done on your behalf from another line. You can choose to leave this option to swap at agents open, and only dial when you receive an SMS of an attempted SIM Swap.

What happens when you SIM swap? ›

At its most basic level, during a SIM swap, a SIM hijacker convinces your mobile carrier to port your phone number over to their SIM card. By transferring those incoming messages, fraudsters can easily access your most sensitive accounts by completing text-based two-factor authentication checks.

Go to Safaricom Selfcare Portal and login into your account. After logging in, select Product and Services from the menu then go to Operations > Phone > Block Phone . In the Block Phone page, you'll find a list of IMEIs of all the phones that you've used your SIM card with recently.