8 Security Tips to Avoid Falling Prey to SIM Swap Frauds

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With online banking gradually becoming a preferred choice of financial transaction for most, fraudsters have renewed their malicious efforts to target their victims. A relatively new type of fraud has come to light. It is known as SIM swap fraud. And we’re here to tell you how you can avoid it by following some simple security measures.

SIM swap frauds

What is SIM Swap fraud?
SIM swap fraud is a malpractice where the perpetrators falsely acquire a SIM card in your name, issued with your mobile number. The primary aim behind this fraud is to have access to security alerts such as One Time Passwords (OTP) which you receive on your registered phone number to proceed with almost all kinds of financial transactions online.

How Do SIM Swap frauds Work?
SIM swap is a second phase of an entire scam planned by an attacker. The first phase consists of gathering personal information about the targeted victim. In most cases, the attacker accomplishes this, with the help of a phishing attack.

The phishing attack is to gather personal and banking information about the victim. This may include name, address, date of birth, phone number, driving license number, net banking ID and password, ATM PIN, CVV number, etc. This attack may be launched in the following ways:

Phishing email – attacker sends a fake email to the victim containing a form or a link to a spoofed website to capture personal information.

Vishing (voice phishing) – attacker calls the victim, posing as a bank executive or an official of a reputed company.

SMiShing (SMS phishing) – attacker sends fake SMSs to the victim containing links to a fake website or a malware that can steal user information.

Once the attacker has the all required user data, they approach the victim’s mobile service provider with forged identity documents. They get a new SIM card by reporting a loss of mobile device or a damaged SIM card. This way, the phone number of the genuine customer gets deactivated. Using the stolen banking information, the attacker can then easily conduct illegal financial transactions, now that they have access to the OTP.

8 Security Tips to Avoid Falling Prey to SIM-Swap Frauds

1. The most important measure is to ensure that your phone’s connection is working normally. If your SIM gets deactivated without any known reason, then report it to your mobile operator immediately.

2. Never give away personal or financial information over emails, phones, SMSs, online chat platforms like WhatsApp, or any media for that matter.

3. Switching off your phone for a long period of time for reasons such as unwanted calls or SMSs could be dangerous. These calls could be a ploy of the attacker to trick you into turning off your phone, so that you remain unaware of any connectivity issues.

4. If your bank offers SMS and email alerts for all your banking activities, then opt for both the options.

5. Check your bank statements regularly to ensure that there are no irregularities.

6. Most websites ask for your phone number among other information to let you use their services. In such scenarios, avoid giving away your real name, actual date of birth, and your phone number which is registered with your bank.

7. Avoid making your phone number public on social media sites.

8. As phishing is used as the main weapon in this type of scams, consider having anti-phishing and anti-malware protection on your PC and smartphone.

It can be safely assumed that incidents of SIM swap frauds will increase with time and could become more advanced. Your safety depends on how vigilant and updated you are about the growing threats in the world of Internet.

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Rajiv Singha

Rajiv Singha


84 Comments

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  1. Avatar sachin kambleSeptember 10, 2015 at 8:34 PM

    Good

    Reply
  2. pl.keep educating the gullible victims on the Net Banking Fraud.
    keep it up

    Reply
  3. Avatar ANSUMAY DATTASeptember 13, 2015 at 9:00 PM

    Very important advice.

    Reply
  4. Very useful suggession

    Reply
  5. Excellent

    Reply
  6. for security purpose

    Reply
  7. Avatar vikrant NalawadeSeptember 13, 2015 at 9:29 PM

    Thank you very much….very important

    Reply
  8. Avatar Rajesh sharmaSeptember 13, 2015 at 9:44 PM

    sabse best

    Reply
  9. Avatar Arindam NeogiSeptember 13, 2015 at 9:47 PM

    Useful advice

    Reply
  10. Avatar Arghyadeep GhoshSeptember 13, 2015 at 9:54 PM

    Thanks , a very important advice

    Reply
  11. Avatar Sanjoy kumar DubeySeptember 13, 2015 at 10:17 PM

    Thanks,very important advice

    Reply
  12. Important information

    Reply
  13. very very important good advince

    Reply
  14. From first call itself donot entertain the caller scold him/her.
    They give you a pack of offer and while talking they will ask about your bank detail and sim detail and they do next hacking your bank account. Be aware……be aware…..

    Reply
  15. Avatar Alok Kumar MukherjeeSeptember 14, 2015 at 12:08 AM

    Thanks for the tips

    Reply
  16. GOD BLESS U

    Reply
  17. Avatar P Satish PatroSeptember 14, 2015 at 1:10 AM

    Glad to know this

    Reply
  18. Thanks for useful information.

    Reply
  19. Avatar jiwan dhunganaSeptember 14, 2015 at 8:10 AM

    Its good informations.

    Reply
  20. good and be helpful to all

    Reply
  21. Avatar DR. RAJAN GARGSeptember 14, 2015 at 8:30 AM

    EXCELLENT.

    KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

    Reply
  22. Important information. Thank you Quickheal.

    Reply
  23. Very helpful. Thanks.

    Reply
  24. Avatar Vikas L AcharyaSeptember 14, 2015 at 9:16 AM

    Very useful.

    We should be aware when you provide documents for KYC to anyone. Always keep record to whom, when and which KYC documents you provide to anyone. Now a days to avail any service or for verification KYC documents are taken.

    India is still far away from good privacy system. It’s our duty to be alert and aware.

    Reply
  25. VERY USEFUL ADVICE

    Reply
  26. Avatar deepak rajputSeptember 14, 2015 at 9:28 AM

    its very good information for all internet user. thaks frnds

    Reply
  27. Avatar TUSHAR THAKKERSeptember 14, 2015 at 9:41 AM

    GOOD . KEEP UPDATING . THIS WILL HELP

    Reply
  28. Good security tips to avoid fraud.

    Reply
  29. Useful information..

    Reply
  30. Avatar LAKSHMI KANTA MISHRASeptember 14, 2015 at 10:15 AM

    Thanks for this useful information.

    Reply
  31. Good Information..

    Reply
  32. Very useful information

    Reply
  33. we’ll discuss to them who have not care about this.

    Reply
  34. All telephone providers should facilitate to easily access to the assistant in customer’s selected language through their 24 x 7 help line service to reduce this fraud.

    Reply
  35. Avatar Deepak KohareSeptember 14, 2015 at 11:22 AM

    Very important information, Thanks !…

    Reply
  36. thanks for updating such important information. ALL THE BEST.

    Reply
  37. Avatar Royal AkpomedayeSeptember 14, 2015 at 1:05 PM

    So so timely indeed! Thanks so much!
    As Head of IT to the organization where I work, I will try to adhere to these security advice.

    Reply
  38. Thanks.Keep on upgrading our knowledge regarding e-fraud.

    Reply
  39. very useful and good performance

    Reply
  40. Very Good

    Reply
  41. very very useful and valuable info.
    Thanks

    Reply
  42. Very Good

    Reply
  43. Avatar NISHIT SATANISeptember 14, 2015 at 3:26 PM

    VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION, THANKS

    Reply
  44. Avatar Jaikrishna PhadSeptember 14, 2015 at 3:33 PM

    The best information……thanks for guidance.

    Reply
  45. Prevention is better than cure. Outstanding job done by educating people. Marvelous. Keep on educating.

    Reply
  46. Avatar shrinivas dhuleSeptember 14, 2015 at 5:26 PM

    Thanks for this useful information.

    Reply
  47. Very Good. keep updating such information regularly.

    Reply
  48. pls educate about net banking fraud

    Reply
  49. Very useful information.

    Reply
  50. very usefull to mindkind

    Reply
  51. good

    Reply
  52. Avatar B.N.MAHEEDHARACHARYASeptember 15, 2015 at 8:12 AM

    It is very useful. Thanks for alerting all the mobile phone users with linked mobile numbers for the financial transactions etc. with the banks.

    Reply
  53. Avatar Narendra PatraSeptember 15, 2015 at 1:04 PM

    Good Tips for Avoid Sim Swap through the Hackers.

    Reply
  54. Thank you very much for the above information.
    Very, very helpful.

    Reply
  55. Avatar G. SRINIVASA RAOSeptember 15, 2015 at 3:14 PM

    very useful information

    Reply
  56. THANKS FOR THIS USEFUL TIPS.

    Reply
  57. Avatar Proweser MetleserSeptember 15, 2015 at 4:09 PM

    Best of Information i have got today online kudos QuickHeal

    Reply
  58. Thanks for this useful information

    Reply
  59. Rhis information is very very helpful

    Reply
  60. very important and good information.

    Reply
  61. Very interesting and much useful information. Always send such information for the benefit of people who use internet facility for banking etc.

    Thanking you a lot. I would like to take a print out of this information form knowledge purpose.

    Reply
  62. Very very nice

    Reply
  63. Avatar SambaiahtadaboinaSeptember 15, 2015 at 9:36 PM

    Thank U very much.

    Reply
  64. Avatar narayan bandyopadhyaySeptember 15, 2015 at 9:48 PM

    very very useful information

    Reply
  65. Avatar narayan bandyopadhyaySeptember 15, 2015 at 9:49 PM

    very very important

    Reply
  66. Avatar SHARAD BAJPAISeptember 15, 2015 at 10:15 PM

    very good information

    Reply
  67. very important and information

    Reply
  68. Thank you for the advise

    Reply
  69. Very Useful

    Reply
  70. GOOD. SHOULD SAY A SOCIAL COMMITMENT INITIATIVE FROM A QUALITY INDIAN SOFTWARE GROUP.

    Reply
  71. Avatar Abhijeet mongareSeptember 16, 2015 at 12:09 PM

    very gooood tips…….(*_*)

    Reply
  72. Avatar Shrikant KanadeSeptember 16, 2015 at 2:12 PM

    Thanks for Very useful advice. God bless you.Thanks Quick Hill and wish u a very happy and very secure Ganesh Utsav.

    Reply
  73. Good job .. keep it up…

    Reply
  74. Avatar Ramrai jamudaSeptember 16, 2015 at 4:07 PM

    Good

    Reply
  75. very good

    Reply
  76. USELESS ARTICLE .. PEOPLE ARE MORE ADVANCE THAN THIS. THEY INSTALL SPYWARE INTO YOUR MOBILE / COMPUTER BY HACKING. THEY CLONE THE SIM CARD .. YOU QUICK HEAL WORK WITH TELECOM DEPT FOR SIM CARD CLONING FRAUDS. THEN YOU WILL COME TO KNOW HOW FRAUD PEOPLES HAVE ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE THAN YOU

    Reply
  77. Avatar Arindam NeogiSeptember 16, 2015 at 6:46 PM

    nice

    Reply
  78. very good, thank you

    Reply
  79. Avatar A.Alexis AntonyOctober 4, 2015 at 7:41 PM

    Very good tips which everyone should know

    Reply
  80. Avatar Dr Anita PhadFebruary 7, 2016 at 2:53 PM

    Hey thnx fr information

    Reply