SIM swap fraud

Your phone number is ported to a scammer's SIM, and your codes go with it.

How it works

Using details harvested from data breaches or phishing, a scammer convinces your mobile carrier to move your number to a SIM they control. Every SMS code — bank, email, crypto exchange — then lands on their handset while your phone quietly loses service.

Red flags

Your phone drops to 'No service' or 'SOS only' with no outage nearby
Unexpected carrier email confirming a SIM or plan change
Password reset emails you didn't request
You can't log in to accounts that were fine yesterday

Real-world example

"Your phone loses signal mid-afternoon. An hour later your bank app rejects your password and your email shows three reset notices."

What to do

01Call your carrier immediately from another phone and report a SIM swap.
02Add a port-out PIN or account lock with your carrier before anything happens.
03Move two-factor authentication off SMS to an authenticator app or hardware key.
04Alert your bank and check for new payees or transfers.

Related scams

One-time passcode (OTP) scam

Someone talks you into reading out the six-digit code you just received.

Vishing (voice phishing)

Phone calls that impersonate your bank, Amazon, or a government agency.

Got a message that looks like this?

Paste it into the detector for a personalised analysis and next steps.

Open the detector