How to avoid ‘SIM swapping’ scams that are on the rise
(InvestigateTV) — You can learn a lot about a person from their cell phone, and scammers are taking advantage of that treasure trove of information using a new method: SIM swapping.
Smartphones utilize a “subscriber identity module” or “SIM” card to identify an individual device and connect it to the user’s cellular network. Older devices had physical cards that could be transferred from device to device, but mobile providers are increasingly using electronic SIM cards that are programmed using software.
While more convenient, these new eSIM cards are vulnerable to malware, and if scammers can get access to an eSIM, they can often get access to a person’s information and entire financial world.
Kristin Crowley talks with victims of this growing problem, and experts who have advice on how to avoid it.
Read more stories from InvestigateTV+ here including a mother’s warning to parents after her daughter was nearly sold on the dark web.
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