Protect Your Phone Service
Consider how carefully you safeguard your Social Security number. You understand that if a criminal obtained it, they might open a credit card in your name, steal your tax refund, or worse. Today, your cell phone account demands the same level of diligence. Gaining access to your calls and text messages gives criminals the potential to steal one-time passcodes and infiltrate your accounts.
One method they use is “SIM swapping.” A SIM card is a small plastic card inside your phone that holds your identifying information, allowing you to make and receive calls. In this scam, a fraudster contacts your cell phone provider, impersonating you. They’ll claim to need a new SIM card activated. The scammer might already have some of your personal data, like the last four digits of your Social Security number, your date of birth, or your mobile provider account password. With this information, they can often convince the cell phone carrier that they are you and get your phone number transferred to their SIM card.
Here are some red flags you shouldn’t ignore:
