The F.B.I. has issued a warning about the growing number of “SIM swap” scams that essentially steal someone’s cellphone number to hack their personal data.
A “SIM swap” scam occurs when a criminal acquires a mobile phone’s SIM card (aka the memory card that identifies the phone’s owner and connects the device to the mobile network) from an unknowing victim to steal personal information such as “bank accounts, virtual currency accounts, and other sensitive information,” according to the public service announcement from the FBI.
In many instances, criminals will use phishing techniques to obtain personal information about the victim, and then use it to impersonate the victim to their mobile carrier — and subsequently, switch the victim’s phone number to a different SIM card.
““Once the SIM is swapped, the victim’s calls, texts, and other data are diverted to the criminal’s device.””
“Once the SIM is swapped, the victim’s calls, texts, and other data are diverted to the criminal’s device,” the FBI explains in its PSA. “This access allows…
