Cybersecurity Alert: Risks of SIM Swapping Scams

SIM swapping is a growing scam where criminals take control of a person’s phone number to bypass security measures. By gathering personal information, attackers can convince wireless carriers that they are the legitimate account holder, prompting the carrier to transfer the victim’s number to a new SIM card or eSIM.

Once the transfer is complete, the victim loses cellular service while the scammer receives all incoming calls and text messages. This allows criminals to intercept security codes sent via text, which can be used to access sensitive financial accounts and other services protected by two-factor authentication.

A primary warning sign of a SIM swap is a sudden, unexpected loss of cellular service or the appearance of an SOS message. To mitigate these risks, experts recommend contacting wireless providers to add security locks or PINs to accounts to prevent unauthorized SIM-related changes.