What is Sim Swapping and how to avoid it

Sim Swapping is a SIM à la carte scam. “It simply consists of intercepting your SMS from a third -party SIM card, a third -party phone for example”, explains journalist Anicet Mbida, present on the 8 hour set, Wednesday April 19. “Today, SMS are used to validate transactions by bank card, to validate the connection to certain accounts. Someone who would have your SIM card, who could receive your SMS, could connect to any of your sites, and could also make purchases for you “, he continues.

Scams: What is the Sim Swapping ?

What is Sim Swapping ? Journalist Anicet Mbida, present on the set of 8 am, Wednesday April 19, explains what this SIM à la carte scam consists of.

Sim Swapping is a SIM à la carte scam. “It simply consists of intercepting your SMS from a third -party SIM card, a third -party phone for example”, explains journalist Anicet Mbida, present on the 8 hour set, Wednesday April 19. “Today, SMS are used to validate transactions by bank card, to validate the connection to certain accounts. Someone who would have your SIM card, who could receive your SMS, could connect to any of your sites, and could also make purchases for you “, he continues.

Two ways to get a SIM for scammers

“To recover the SIM card, there are two ways. First, it is to call the operator by pretending to be for you, so that he transfers the SMS automatically on another SIM card. The other solution is to use twin sim cards, which are used for connected watches in particular, or for cars phones. (. ) The good news is that in France, these kinds of things happen very little, because operators automatically block the first SIM if a second SIM is activated. So if you no longer have access to your SMS, you tell yourself that there may be a problem “, reports the journalist, adding that it is very rare that operators agree to transfer SMS to another SIM card.

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What is Sim Swapping and how to avoid it ?

Most people have a smartphone today, using it as well to call and text, and to pay, to access their emails, social networks, etc. A fact that largely increases the risks of sim swapping. In this article, we explain what this fraud consists of, how to know if you are a victim, and what are the means to avoid it.

Sim Swapping: definition, operation and consequences ?

The SIM card is a small removable smart card placed in a mobile phone. Each module is unique and associated with its user’s mobile account. It contains a wide variety of personal information, including contacts, text messages, operator, etc.

THE Sim Swapping designates a hacking technique of accessing a person’s phone number as well as SIM card data. In most cases, the fraudster contacts the mobile phone operator by pretending to be you, user, and claims to need to activate a new SIM card, so transfer your phone number to this same new card. For example, he can excuse a flight, a new phone purchase or a loss of SIM.

To convince the operator to perform this operation, he will use personal information about you on the Internet or by other means (address, date of birth, etc.)). If the operator’s customer service believes that it is you, it will reallocate your telephone number on the fraudster card. The latter will then be able to reset all the passwords of your accounts, access your emails, your social media, your payment systems, etc. He can also control any two -fact factors transmitted to your phone via SMS.

Generally, the main objective of SIM Swapping is the usurpation of banking information for a financial gain. However, it sometimes happens that it is used in order to humiliate or publicly embarrass the person who is the victim, by pretending to be social networks. This was for example the case in 2019 of Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, whose account was once published a large number of offensive tweets. A very problematic attack on account with several million subscribers.

How to know if you are the victim of a sim swapping ?

Although the sim swapping is quite subtle, some signs can still put your ear in your ear. Here are some examples of situations that can indicate that you are the victim of this fraud:

• You no longer have a network; SMS and calls do not work.
• You are connected to WiFi and you notice requests to change account in your emails.
• Publications that you have not made appear on your social networks.
• Your bank accounts show payments and activities that you have not carried out.
• You can no longer access your personal accounts, because your identifiers no longer work.
• Your telephone operator tells you that your phone number or SIM card has been activated on another device.

If you think you have been the victim of Sim Swapping, the first thing to do is to contact your mobile operator immediately. You will then have to contact your bank as well as the other main organizations that may be affected.

The best ways to prevent sim swapping

Without being able to protect yourself completely, a few gestures still make it possible to avoid this type of fraud:

• Reset PIN on your mobile account using a strong and unique code, known only of you. For the latter, do not use data such as your address, your birthday date, your social security number and other information of this kind. Also, if you create identifiers or passwords for various accounts, avoid including your phone number.
• Use double authentication by favoring other means than sending SMS. It can for example be a device or an authentication application.
• Put your profiles online (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) in private mode, or only accessible to friends, rather than public, because a lot of information can be collected without your knowledge if it is visible for everyone.
• Contact your mobile telephony operator to find out if the latter offers solutions to protect its customers from Sim Swapping risks. For example, it is a question of sending a notification as soon as a card is re -emitted to your account.

Finally, always be careful when you receive emails or text messages that may seem suspect, for example phishing messages that can allow fraudsters to access your personal data. Do not click on any link or banner when you are online.

Nicolas

I bring my expertise in digital marketing through my articles. My goal is to help professionals improve their online marketing strategy by sharing practical tips and relevant advice. My articles are written clearly, precise and easy to follow, whether you are a novice or expert in the matter.