fbpx
Connect with us

News

Beware: Your Phone Number May Be Stolen Using ‘SIM Swap’ Without You Even Knowing It

Published

Beware: Your Phone Number May Be Stolen Using 'Sim Swap' Without You Even Knowing It - World Of Buzz
Source: Daily Mail & News Nation

Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest stories and updates daily.

A lazy man works the smartest, some will say. And if you see the lengths that criminals go just to get to your hard-earned money, you’d be inclined to agree. After all, there have been some pretty interesting schemes that people have cooked up over the years, just for the sake of stealing. Which is why now we have all these fancy new security measures to prevent theft, like TAC codes tied to our phone numbers.

But what if thieves can now bypass those measures entirely without you even noticing it?

Related Image

Yup, apparently now they can. According to The Star, a new type of fraud technique, called SIM swap, is now being used by criminals to access your bank information.

This can be easily done, because as you now know, many companies such as banks and social media platforms offer the use of your phone number as a way of identification by sending you encrypted codes. But if those codes were intercepted, it’s pretty easy to gain complete access to your information.

The scary thing is that apparently, there’s nothing you can do to stop these incidents from happening. Only the telco carrier can stop your phone number from being cloned. 

So how do these frauds take place? Well, all the criminal has to do is figure out personal information about you, which can be illegally bought from the Dark Web or obtained through what you post on your social media, before working from there. They tend pretend to be you and contact telco carriers, asking to either obtain a new SIM card or to switch to a different telco carrier. 

Once the telco carrier transfers your number to a phone that the criminal owns, then all TAC codes and encrypted codes sent to your phone will be immediately intercepted by these criminals as well, allowing them to access sensitive information such as your bank account and social media accounts.

Image Result For Online Banking

Source: readwrite

Sometimes even telco companies don’t realise that these frauds are happening and when customers call in, they have to educate them about how these frauds are happening, according to security expert Bob Sullivan, host of the So, Bob technology podcast.

“The real problem is when you call, are you going to get a person that you can talk to about this quickly and are they going to recognise what’s happening?” he says before adding “Or are you going to be in voicemail hell for three hours while a criminal raids all your accounts?”

So how can you reduce the chances of being exposed to this huge security risk?

Well, it’s probably helpful to go call up your phone company to secure your account with a personal identification number, so that strangers can’t just phone in and request for any changes to be made without it.

Image Result For Simcard

Source: forbes

Then, try and find other ways of authenticating your accounts instead of just using the usual TAC codes sent to your phone. But better options would be to get the codes through a phone call instead of a text.

But if you suspect that you already have been a victim of SIM card fraud if you can no longer receive or send texts messages, The Star advises that you immediately contact your telco carrier and report the issue, before calling your bank and changing all your passwords and identification information in person. Then of course, file a police report as well.

We hope that this helps all of you out there to keep a closer eye on your personal information, so you don’t fall victim to these frauds! Remember, always stay vigilant and be careful! 

 

Also read: Beware: Local Scammers Are Now Pretending To Kena Langgar To Cheat Insurance Money

- World Of Buzz

Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest stories and updates daily.



Just In

Feat Image Jellyfish Sabah Feat Image Jellyfish Sabah
News5 hours ago

Water Turns Red at Sabah Beach as Tens of Thousands of Jellyfish Wash Ashore in Strange Phenomenon

A strange phenomenon in Sabah has piqued the interest of Malaysians recently after photos and videos of the occurrence went...

Collage 5 9 Collage 5 9
News6 hours ago

“Stand down, you’ve made your point” – KJ Reminds Politician Who’s Criticising KK Mart Over Allah Socks Issue

“Stand down, Akmal. You’ve made your point, you’ve done well, but it’s time to stand your guys down.” In his...

My Post 1 2024 03 27T182644.900 My Post 1 2024 03 27T182644.900
News1 day ago

Anwar Ibrahim Urges Public to Stop Being Judge, Jury & Executioner Over ‘Allah’ Socks Issue

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has asked all parties not to prolong the issue of the socks with the...

My Post 1 2024 03 27T170635.860 My Post 1 2024 03 27T170635.860
News1 day ago

KKM Takes Action Against Ramadan Bazaar Vendor After Rag Was Found Inside Murtabak

With Ramadan bazaar vendors doing everything they can to put themselves ahead of the stiff competition they’re facing against other...

Feat Image Padu T20 Feat Image Padu T20
News1 day ago

Economy Ministry: T20 M’sians May Still Get Targeted Subsidies, But Only If They Register for PADU

With registration for the Central Database Hub (PADU) due in just 4 days, the Economy Ministry is now ramping up...

Collage 80 Collage 80
News1 day ago

2 JB Men Get Caught by Religious Dept for Skipping Fast & Eating Publicly, Say They’re Tired from Work

With about 2 weeks left for Ramadhan, many Muslim friends who are currently fasting must be excited for Raya which...

Feat Image Underwater Cleanup Feat Image Underwater Cleanup
News1 day ago

M’sians Band Together to Clean Up a Whopping 12.1 Tonnes of Trash from Sabah Ocean Floor

A whopping 12.1 tonnes of waste were collected from the ocean floor at 3 locations in Sabah recently thanks to...

Collage 2 8 Collage 2 8
News1 day ago

“Raya is in 2 weeks!”- PMX Wants Lower Rentals for Ramadhan Bazaar Vendors, M’sians Say it’s Too Late

The Ramadhan Bazaars in Malaysia are known for the myriads of food but unfortunately, the food markets often go viral...

Announcement

Latest Videos



TRENDING TODAY