It’s all about preventing scammers from finding out what logins and passwords you use to access your online bank or credit card accounts. They can then use that code to enter your bank account.įortunately, you can protect yourself against SIM swapping. The problem? After a SIM swap, that number now goes to the smartphone or other device possessed by scammers. The bank will then send a code by text - two-factor authentication - to your smartphone number, a code that you’ll then have to enter to access your online account. This is known as SIM swap fraud, and it means scammers could potentially enter your username and password when logging onto your bank’s website. Anyone calling or texting this number will contact the scammers’ device, not your smartphone. Once this occurs, the scammers have control over your phone number. SIM swapping happens when scammers contact your mobile phone’s carrier and trick them into activating a SIM card that the fraudsters have. SIM swap fraud occurs when scammers take advantage of a weakness in two-factor authentication and verification and use your phone number to access your accounts.

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