The FBI is warning consumers about SIM swapping, a resurgent identity theft scam perhaps best known for having>How the scam works
The scam has a few steps. First, a scammer acquires personal details about the victim either by impersonating telecom company employees through phishing emails or phone calls, or by buying the information>How to prevent SIM card swapping
To prevent SIM card swapping, you'll need to be vigilant about the information you share and how passwords are stored. The FBI recommends the following precautions:
- If you're contacted by someone claiming to be from a telecom company, don't volunteer personal information, like your PIN or phone number. Instead, verify the call by dialing the customer service line of your mobile carrier.
- Avoid posting personal information online, such as your phone number or address. This can include photos shared on social media, too. A good example of this would be to avoid posting a picture of your vaccination card, which includes your date of birth.
- Use a variety of passwords to access online accounts and change them often.
- Embrace strong multi-factor authentication methods such as biometrics, physical security tokens or standalone authentication applications to access online accounts.
- Don't store passwords, usernames or other information for easy login on mobile device applications.
- Don't advertise information about financial assets, including ownership or investment of cryptocurrency, on social media websites and forums.
If your phone has been cut off and you think you might be a victim to a SIM swap, immediately notify your phone provider and change the passwords to your online accounts. You can report the scam to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
