A 35-year-old Delhi-based woman, who happens to be a lawyer, lost an undisclosed amount from her bank account when she became the victim of the ‘SIM Swap scam’ after receiving three calls on her phone, as per a report by The Indian Express. In this peculiar scam, a scammer gains access to your duplicate SIM card through unfair means and uses it to access your bank accounts and more.
This incident comes at a time when scams of various shapes and sizes are on the rise across the country, and scammers continue to evolve and devise novel ways to victimize unsuspecting people. Whether it’s the telegram job scam or the Army officer scam, it is crucial to remain vigilant in this day and age.
Here’s How The SIM Swap Scam Works:
To understand how the scam works, let’s first understand what transpired and led to the woman losing her money. The woman reportedly received three missed calls from a number but never returned the calls.
Shortly after, she received text messages stating that her bank account was debited. The concerning part is that the woman never disclosed any OTP or personal details to anyone, yet she lost the money.
The lawyer reported the incident, which occurred on October 18, to the authorities and informed them that she had lost lakhs of rupees. She also confirmed that she received three calls in total and when she tried to call back using another number, she was informed it was for a courier delivery.
“She had only shared her house address with the accused, thinking she would be receiving a package from a friend, and she did receive it. Later, two messages from her banking services application about two unauthorized withdrawals alarmed her," the investigating officer was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “The advocate had not shared any banking details, OTP, or password. When she approached us, we found money was debited several times without her consent," he added.
The officer also revealed that during the investigation, it was found that the woman had an unusual browsing history, and had websites that she did not visit. Additionally, she received phishing links and other UPI registration texts as well.
All things considered, the primary objective of SIM Swap scammers in this scam is to obtain personal data, which they can use in collaboration with someone from a mobile network to obtain a duplicate SIM.
How To Be Safe:
First and foremost, never post your personal information, including your address or personal documentation like Aadhar card or PAN details, online—no matter the platform. Always verify the identity of a person before sharing such details with them.
Moreover, immediately inform your telecom operator if your SIM card stops working—especially if it happens randomly. And, of course, never disclose OTPs to individuals pretending to be officials or banking agents, as these might be used in the SIM Swap scam as well.
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