SIM Card Swapping: How Criminals Can Steal Your Phone Number (and What You Can Do About It)

 This type of fraud can happen to anyone, and the results can be devastating—criminals can steal your phone number, take over your accounts, and even access your bank or cryptocurrency funds.

Most people know to watch out for suspicious emails, but there’s another scam that doesn’t get enough attention: SIM card swapping.  

What Is SIM Card Swapping?

Your phone number lives on the little chip inside your phone called a SIM card. If a criminal can convince your phone company to move your number to a SIM card they control, they gain access to your calls and text messages. That may not sound like much, but here’s why it matters:

•  Many companies send login codes and password resets by text.
• Once scammers receive those codes, they can break into your accounts.
• This can lead to stolen money, stolen identity, and a huge headache to recover control.

How It Happens

Scammers gather personal details about you first—like your address, birthday, or account information. Then:

1. They call your mobile carrier pretending to be you.
2. They claim their phone is lost or broken and ask for a new SIM card.
3. The carrier activates that new SIM card.
4. Suddenly, your phone stops working, and the scammer now has your number.

How to Know If Your SIM Card Was Swapped

• Your phone suddenly has no service for calls or texts.
• Friends or family say they tried calling you but someone else answered, or the call didn’t go through.
• You get alerts from your bank, email, or other accounts about password changes you didn’t request.

If any of these happen, contact your carrier immediately.

How to Protect Yourself

The good news is that you can take a few simple steps to make it harder for scammers:

1. Add a PIN or password to your mobile account – This makes it harder for someone to impersonate you.
2. Use app-based login codes instead of text messages – Apps like Google Authenticator or Authy generate codes right on your phone, which can’t be stolen through SIM swapping.
3. Keep personal info private – The less criminals know about you, the harder it is for them to convince your carrier they are you.
4. Monitor your accounts – Turn on alerts for suspicious logins or money transfers.

Set Up Extra Protection with Your Carrier

Here’s how you can add a SIM lock or account PIN with the major carriers:

• Google Fi – Enable Number Lock for your SIM card
• AT&T – Learn how to add extra security with a wireless passcode
• Verizon – Set an account PIN to secure your Verizon account
• T-Mobile – Enable your account security PIN/Passcode with T-Mobile

Final Takeaway

SIM card swapping isn’t about hacking your phone—it’s about tricking your phone company. But with a few minutes of setup, you can make your account much harder to fake.

It is like adding a deadbolt to your front door. Most burglars won’t bother if it looks like too much work.

Take time today to implement SIM locking and add that PIN or password with your carrier. It could save you a lot of stress, money, and time down the road.