Great job! My question is ‘Why should the victim be on the hook for their losses when it was the cell service provider who got scammed?’ The victim of the scam had no part in the process. Someone should be holding the cell providers for getting scammed and reimbursing the victims. IMHO
A lot of cell companies are scammers themselves. I tried unlocking my phone to use another provider. Suddenly I don't get emails from them. So they can't unlock my phone. Because they need to "verify" me. Still get all their other emails though.
While it’s nice to think the service rep is tricked, I tend to think they’re the inside person. I think it’s great the library puts out videos like this! Keep it up!
I have been reading the same sentiment in other videos on the topic. Apparently some phone company workers are in cahoots with the scammers and so allow them to switch your number to a new phone without a pin.
It would be difficult since every customer service action is logged. And it's not usually possible to connect to a specific customer service representative.
@@Mavrik9000 I am totally convinced it is done from having insiders collaborating on the scams. They figure out how to bypass all the protocols. remember these criminals work 24-7 to stay ahead of any new safety protocols. And the ones on the inside are at the ready with all the info needed. They are usually of a CERTAIN ethnicity and VERY good with technology.
Why do providers allow SIM activation over the phone? This should require an in-store switch only, with photo id drivers license for verification. Inconvenient, yes, but more secure. Thanks for the simple explanation.
A lot of people who work in these stores are fresh out of high school. A lot of customers are going to be nervous about giving them sensitive information about themselves.
Seems to me a provider would be able to see if the “lost or stolen” phone is connected to their network. If so, immediate red flag! 🚩 provider can also easily geo-locate the device via cell tower pings.
Many reasons, with increasing frequency there are cellular providers that keep cost low by not having brick and mortar stores. Ting and Mint, just to name two provide _everything_ online. I suspect this will become more common as we move further into the 21st Century. Finally there are people in rural areas that may live a large distance from their provider, and cellular services are after all a mobile communication phone service. We've been moving ever farther away from physical contact with phone providers since the breakup of the Bell systems.
The stores close early near me. You have to do it over the phone. But it's impossible to hack. Took me forever to guess my secret code again after having created it like 10 years ago. No way could anybody on earth but me have activated a phone on my account. I offered everything, secret and that operator would not budge until I came up with the magic word. I luckily had an old laptop I never used, that had a text file on it with the secret. Otherwise, I would have been without a phone for a day, which would have stopped me from logging onto my job the next morning. Thanks.
The provider could send a text message...asking if they need a new SIM card as someone is in-store claiming to need one for their #. The provider could offer a text message in the contract explaining to the customer why they do this as part of their security measures....this also would let scammers know the providers are actively looking for them making it harder to pull off.
I won't answer the call even if it shows T-Mobile (my provider) legit phone number on the display. Numbers can be easily spoofed. There are no easy solutions to this.
"Hi I'm calling from Sprint to confirm you ordered a new SIM card. Can you please verify your identity for me?" ... yeah, would you trust that cold call?
As a former person what has professionally fought fraud this is one of the BEST💪❤ articulations I have yet seen on this topic... New stories are typically "weak" and too abbreviated on this topic. The only thing I can think of to add to this is that SCAMMERS will call you directly with the SAME number as the fraud Dept. with FRAUDULENT "caller-ID" numbers... When people are "stressed" in the heat of the moment, they erroneously ASSume it is the fraud dept. calling them back !!!! When it is NOT, it is actual the scammer... BOTTOM LINE: Only speak to people YOU have called directly ⚠ Thank you for great work❤🙏
but I've noticed even this video leaves out that for them to use this on your bank account, that means they already had information like SSN, login, DOB and passwords. If you try to reset the password for Chase for example it requires info like that, that wouldn't be obtained from just sim swapping. Long Story shot..the victim already had a lot of their stuff hacked , the sim swap was just the last step to finish.
@@jvanek8512 All potential variations on their techniques but YES often yo have already been "chosen" in some way... BUT sometimes the info was also "hacked" from a store, or website, not only people getting your trash... They can buy your info on the dark web too...
@@jvanek8512CLEAN PLANNER entitled itself in my space telling me what to declutter. & They were right on despite all the limitations I use . That means they have been scanning my device at will, & without my consent. They are also very aggressive about it!!! I reported them twice as hostile with no answer. Google remained silent. But some apps do automatic scanning , even when the phone isn t in use, like Amazon. I was unable to uninstall it !!! Ads don t just slow down my device, they freeze it completely. The rest of the time it s ok.
I will have to check with my cell provider and financial institutions. You would think that the cell provider would call the old phone, just to verify before switching. If their is an issue, you would need to visit a store and show and ID and billing statement for verification. It is amazing how much we depend on these devices in our daily lives.
I had no idea having online account authentication defeated by scammers was so easy. We will definitely take steps to prevent SIM SWAP SCAM. Thank you from San Diego County, California. 😊
Very well made video! It seems like a huge vulnerability that phone call center employees have the ability to completely bypass the 2 factor authentication system so easily. Call center employees are probably relatively low paid, and their efficiency is often measured by how many calls/hour they process, which means they are not likely to rigorously interrogate someone calling up to do a SIM swap. Scary.
I spent 2.5 hours talking to an agent that didn’t tell me he was only a sales associate. I finally got to a billing agent but I was really frustrated as you can tell.
Good luck with that. These scams have an insider that you will never, ever know. I have a code that I have not written anywhere. The only two entities that know this code are myself and the carrier who set up the code. When an upgraded phone was purchased using this code, (to be mailed to a Texas resident with a different name, even though I live in Hawaii) I got an email from my carrier saying, “your new phone is on its way. Thank you for upgrading with, blah, blah, blah…”. I called the company, returned an email to notify them so the purchase was stopped. When I asked them how it had been purchased, they said that the person used my digital code. I asked them how that was possible since only they and I know the code. Then I asked him if the purchase was possibly made internally by one of their reps. It had “possibly been” but they refused to tell me who it was and refused to do anything about it beyond firing that person. That is the only disingenuous of them, it’s unfair and unconscionable. I have no recourse to punish the person for my data breach. And frankly, the carriers don’t care. They deal with this all the time.
@moonbaby3046 its compulsory for Australian ISP customers to have a pw. If a scammer opens my ISP app they still have to enter the pw not saved on my devise. When I change devices my ISP immediately notifies me that my sim card has been accessed by such n such device and if it was me please ignore.
Thank you for the information. Helpful. Although here in Europe the SIM is sent to the address of the phone user. How the scammer receives the new SIM is critical for this scam to work. Interesting to see your library providing a useful service. Well done.
I'm very concerned about this topic and have watched some other videos on it. This is by far the best I have seen because it is very systematic, seems pretty comprehensive, and yet brief - which is not say it is easy - but it gives you most helpful directionS to pursue. THANK YOU FOR MOST HELPFUL WORK.
Very clearly explained. Thank you. As an information security professional, I have recently been asked what SIM swapping is by a couple of different people. In the future, I will point anyone with such questions to your video.
Good information. At the beginning of the video, I thought I was protected because I don't have any financial apps on my phone and never use my phone for any financial transactions. Didn't think about the fact that 2-factor authorization (covered later in the video) could be compromised and the hacker could change my bank account passwords and clean me out. I feel somewhat comforted by the fact that I don't have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, etc., so hackers will have to work hard to "phish" for personal info about me.
Excellent, its not the content that matters so much, as how it is delivered. This young lady has a fabulous delivery. No Powerpoint either ☺ Putnam County Library needs to hold on to this person!!
07:30 - 4 signs that you are a victim of a SIM Swap Scam. 1. Your cell stops working 2. You're notified of activity 3. You're unable to access accounts 4. You notice unauthorized transations 09:32 - How to try to prevent being a victim of a SIM Swap Scam. 1. Don't reply to requests 2. Limit shared info online 3. Setup pin/password 4. SETUP ALERTS!!!!! 5. User stronger options
On an iPhone, you can go into Settings>Screen Time>Content and Privacy Restrictions>toggle the button on at the top of the page>scroll down to Passcode Changes>switch to don't allow, the Account Changes to don't allow, then you will need to set up a different 4 digit code to lock both. This prevents someone from changing your passcode or making account changes.
You’ve missed the point completely. The scammer hijacks your phone number by using a service provider to issue a new SIM card with your phone number, they don’t actually take your physical SIM card.
Excellent video. Very informative without a lot of drama. Given that this scam keeps happening, and service providers are well aware of it, it seems to me they should require much more proof to prove identity - including an in-person visit, instead of handling these transactions over the phone. I believe they should be held accountable for any lost funds. Anyhow, keep up the good work!
When I call customer service about my account, they grill me left and right about my identity. It is sickening that these con artists are able to access my account information. These companies need to bear more responsibility when there is a breach. I wonder if the company’s employee is in cahoots with the scammers.
One important detail that wasn’t covered in this video: The SIM swap scam only works if the scammer also knows your email address or user ID for your online accounts, and knows they are associated with your phone number. Otherwise they can’t successfully use “forgot my password” to get a text sent to them.
It happened to me 2 weeks ago. Thank you so much for your video. It's important to spread awareness to help others avoid falling victim to the same scam.
On one hand, an informative video for honest, well-meaning cell phone users. On the other hand, a detailed step-by-step learning tool for more potential SIM scammers who may not have even thought about doing something like this. This video tells them exactly what to do.
I love your videos. I'm only 61 and pretty tech savvy, but have sometimes had to explain these kinds of scams to older neighbors and friends... and your videos are so much better than my explanation! Thank you so much.
Here is a good tip if you want to dramatically reduce the potential of you or your relatives getting scammed. If someone contacts you by email, text or phone and claims to be from an institution you do business with, and wants to you take a course of action or do something unusual, tell them to send you a letter in the mail and you will review it. How many scammers do you suppose will send an actual letter?
After listening to this I went to my own carrier, T-mobile, and discovered I could “lock” SIM swaps. By doing so, I would have to go into a physical store to swap a SIM in the future. I’d suggest everyone call their mobile carrier and secure the ability to swap a SIM remotely.
Great video, comprehensive! I always wondered what a SIM car swap was...i assumed in involved someone actually needing to physicslly have access to your phone! I finally understand. Thank you
This is the best, clearest and most understandable explanation of this topic I have come across online. Thank you very much for this invaluable information.
An excellent tutorial, most people don’t know about this so you’re providing a great service, I try to let people know about these things all the time, there’s another thing out there you don’t even need a Sim card anymore, there are virtual Sim cards now
Great presentation regarding the latest scam regarding phone/identity theft - clear, concise and to the point. I use my mobile phone for communication purposes only - no banking, social media, email or other online activity. My carrier does require a pin to make any changes so I am hopefully in good shape against this type of scam. Thanks for posting!
I've ALWAYS been leary of using cell phone banking. I was consoled by the banks that it was fairly secure. But that was then. Now, it looks really hazardous. I'll have to pursue stronger protections. Thanks so much for this presentation. Very clear.
its not just banking , its everything, every login thats 2FA. people like me whose work requires logging into other computer systems for access, that would all have to be updated and changed, it would take me days to straighten in out. with the right target its almost like a indirect denial of service attack - with days of lost time wages involved.....
@@orbitalair2103I cannot imagine how banking in any country could be based on the phone number alone. That is beyond reckless. In Finland I need by customer number (8 digits only in my head) by PIN (4 digits only on my head), a single use code from a card the back has provided and then a PIN sent to my phone. Alternatively I can use my mobile app in which I need just a PIN (in addition to the screen PIN).
I believe the cell phone is only used when a website asks for a 2 factor authorization. So first wld b enter password, then the bank would send a code via text to ur cell. It is this code that the scammer can use if they stole ur sim and ported ur number.
You are the best! This is incredibly valuable information for everyone! My wife sent it to her 80 years young parents
10 місяців тому+8
Being a victim of this myself, I love that this video was released. I might upload a video myself, with some alterations of the info in this video. One of my qualms with it is the point made at 10:44. Even though NO ONE on the planet but me knew my PIN, I was still a SIM swap victim. I do very strongly agree with the point made at 11:12. I would ESPECIALLY emphasize using stronger 2-factor on your personal email address since that is the FIRST thing they go for after the SIM swap (again, I was a victim and know this). At the time it happened to me, my email provider DID NOT offer the choice of GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR, but they do now.....and that would have saved me the $22000 in crypto the hacker got away with.
Yes 😢 a lot of data breaches.. AT&T just had over a billion customers leaked.. that is what happened to me so I changed everything including security question. Be safe and sorry to hear your story. May they scrub the floors of hell for eternity
Thank you so much, for all the information and teaching us to be prepared for this scammer, it’s not that easy for a senior citizen unfortunately we has to learn this terrible ordeal 🙏🙏🙏
Excellent information and advice! I would move securing your mobile provider with pin as priority #1, as they can’t SIM swap without your mobile provider’s help. I would also recommend using multiple methods of alerts for banking activity. For example, send alerts for transactions over $100 to two different email accounts, and two different mobile numbers. That way, if an account is hacked, the alerts will reach the other accounts.
You should always have multiple ways of receiving alerts on your accounts, meaning not only texts, but also email notifications. Even if they have your SIM, they still don't have access to your email. And like you said, try to use uthenticator apps if your institutions supports them, especially those that need pins or biometric info to open them such as MS authenticator. I think it should law that all institutions support authenticator apps to prevent such scams. And even to prevent institutions from being hacked. And all cellphones should always have passcodes to get into them in case it's stolen or you lose it.
Cute and succinct, good tutorial on how to conduct the scam. Missing is a summary of how a victim should respond in case of getting scammed. (A website was referenced but to complete this presentation this could have been summarized.)
Happened to me few years ago. I lost most of my identity data but not money loss. I did a police report but was very frustrating how Police and law department's don't have any knowledge of this sort of issues.
Agreed 😢 sorry to hear friend. Happy at least your safe financially, I too am compromised with my data everywhere. Be safe and I pray your scammer scrubs the floor of hell for eternity
I just want to add, to anyone reading this, make sure your email is secure as well. If you're getting a lot of spam emails, scammers are aware of your email. If you especially get spam emails where you're the person the email from , but you know you didn't send yourself that email, then they have hacked your email. The only way to remedy this is to set up an email alias and stop using your old email address. For all of you with "hotmail" accounts, consider this.
regardless of the legal aspects about who is responsible for losses, the nightmare of just having to deal with being hacked the time, waiting on call queues, etc - it is worth being very aware of all possible frauds.
Excellent information and presentation. Thank you so much. The SP is responsible for our security for on line renew of lost SIM card and not mandated renew over the counter in person and ID.
Consumer cellular does have a pin requirement to enter in to owners account not sure what happens if customer or scammers tells them they forgot their pin
Most cell phone carriers will now set up an additional authentication code for your cell account. This code will be used when ever you or anyone you authorize on cell account, calls the cell customer number for assistance. Without this new code number you set up with your provider... the scammers can not high jack your phone/account and are shut down in step 1. Just like stated in this awesome video (SET UP A NEW PIN NUMBER.... NOW). 🙂
If someone calls a provider saying their phones has been lost / destroyed, the provider should then verify this by CALLING THAT PHONE. If someone answers, you know that there's a scammer on the other line. The first line of defense is the provider, and they need to do a better job of protecting their customers.
A lot of people don't answer their phones unless the caller is on their contact list, usually because of excessive telemarketing/scam calls. Also the customer could be sleeping.
Thank you for this clear and well meaning video! My feeling is that the cell phone providers are getting off way too easy, as it was their mistake that set the horrible events into play. Why are they being protected?
New sub here. I'm very glad to have just accidentally happened upon your video. A very detailed and straightforward layout of what folks can do to try and stop yet another scam. Thank you so much!! God bless all. It's so difficult in this online world to stay safe!! 🕊🙏🐾🐣
This video is proof of the value of public libraries and the good people who work there.
Sure. You could never find this info online, such as at Avast.
Agreed! Love your library!
I completely agree!
Great job! My question is ‘Why should the victim be on the hook for their losses when it was the cell service provider who got scammed?’ The victim of the scam had no part in the process. Someone should be holding the cell providers for getting scammed and reimbursing the victims. IMHO
Verizon - the customer is ALWAYS wrong. Company policy it seems
We need legislation to hold the SPs accountable.
The victim usually got phished or tricked into installing something which how the scammer got the information to trick the service provider.
How can " the rep " know it is not you ? You see how the bad guys get in, just change the way that you "roll".
A lot of cell companies are scammers themselves. I tried unlocking my phone to use another provider. Suddenly I don't get emails from them. So they can't unlock my phone. Because they need to "verify" me. Still get all their other emails though.
While it’s nice to think the service rep is tricked, I tend to think they’re the inside person. I think it’s great the library puts out videos like this! Keep it up!
I have been reading the same sentiment in other videos on the topic. Apparently some phone company workers are in cahoots with the scammers and so allow them to switch your number to a new phone without a pin.
It would be difficult since every customer service action is logged. And it's not usually possible to connect to a specific customer service representative.
I have a criminal in my family that stole from me and had a connection in one of the MAJOR credit bureaus
Definitely carrier rep in on it ....there should be verification to address on record
@@Mavrik9000 I am totally convinced it is done from having insiders collaborating on the scams. They figure out how to bypass all the protocols. remember these criminals work 24-7 to stay ahead of any new safety protocols. And the ones on the inside are at the ready with all the info needed. They are usually of a CERTAIN ethnicity and VERY good with technology.
Why do providers allow SIM activation over the phone? This should require an in-store switch only, with photo id drivers license for verification. Inconvenient, yes, but more secure. Thanks for the simple explanation.
Common sense is that they are in on it.
A lot of people who work in these stores are fresh out of high school. A lot of customers are going to be nervous about giving them sensitive information about themselves.
Seems to me a provider would be able to see if the “lost or stolen” phone is connected to their network. If so, immediate red flag! 🚩 provider can also easily geo-locate the device via cell tower pings.
Many reasons, with increasing frequency there are cellular providers that keep cost low by not having brick and mortar stores. Ting and Mint, just to name two provide _everything_ online. I suspect this will become more common as we move further into the 21st Century. Finally there are people in rural areas that may live a large distance from their provider, and cellular services are after all a mobile communication phone service. We've been moving ever farther away from physical contact with phone providers since the breakup of the Bell systems.
The stores close early near me. You have to do it over the phone. But it's impossible to hack. Took me forever to guess my secret code again after having created it like 10 years ago. No way could anybody on earth but me have activated a phone on my account. I offered everything, secret and that operator would not budge until I came up with the magic word. I luckily had an old laptop I never used, that had a text file on it with the secret. Otherwise, I would have been without a phone for a day, which would have stopped me from logging onto my job the next morning. Thanks.
Stay off social media and use the old fashion way: go to the bank to make deposits/withdrawals.
. I agree. The only things I have on mine are Audibles and UA-cam
Seems like a standard practice should be for the provider to call the “lost” phone to see if the actual owner answers.
Because of excessive telemarketing calls, A lot of people don't answer calls nowadays if the caller isn't on their contact list.
The provider could send a text message...asking if they need a new SIM card as someone is in-store claiming to need one for their #. The provider could offer a text message in the contract explaining to the customer why they do this as part of their security measures....this also would let scammers know the providers are actively looking for them making it harder to pull off.
I won't answer the call even if it shows T-Mobile (my provider) legit phone number on the display. Numbers can be easily spoofed. There are no easy solutions to this.
Very good point
"Hi I'm calling from Sprint to confirm you ordered a new SIM card. Can you please verify your identity for me?" ... yeah, would you trust that cold call?
This was the single best video SIM swap tutorial I have seen. Very, very helpful.
Thank you.
Joel
I forgot how good librarians are good at explaining things in good detail
Yes, she is good!
As a former person what has professionally fought fraud this is one of the BEST💪❤ articulations I have yet seen on this topic... New stories are typically "weak" and too abbreviated on this topic. The only thing I can think of to add to this is that SCAMMERS will call you directly with the SAME number as the fraud Dept. with FRAUDULENT "caller-ID" numbers... When people are "stressed" in the heat of the moment, they erroneously ASSume it is the fraud dept. calling them back !!!! When it is NOT, it is actual the scammer... BOTTOM LINE: Only speak to people YOU have called directly ⚠ Thank you for great work❤🙏
but I've noticed even this video leaves out that for them to use this on your bank account, that means they already had information like SSN, login, DOB and passwords. If you try to reset the password for Chase for example it requires info like that, that wouldn't be obtained from just sim swapping. Long Story shot..the victim already had a lot of their stuff hacked , the sim swap was just the last step to finish.
Agree. They are using spoofers that allow a bank's legit number to show up in phone's caller ID. It's best for YOU to initiate the call to the bank.
@@jvanek8512 All potential variations on their techniques but YES often yo have already been "chosen" in some way... BUT sometimes the info was also "hacked" from a store, or website, not only people getting your trash... They can buy your info on the dark web too...
Yeah, the calling back scenario always does it !!! It may be a detail but it makes all their efforts useless.
@@jvanek8512CLEAN PLANNER entitled itself in my space telling me what to declutter. & They were right on despite all the limitations I use . That means they have been scanning my device at will, & without my consent. They are also very aggressive about it!!! I reported them twice as hostile with no answer. Google remained silent. But some apps do automatic scanning , even when the phone isn t in use, like Amazon. I was unable to uninstall it !!! Ads don t just slow down my device, they freeze it completely. The rest of the time it s ok.
I will have to check with my cell provider and financial institutions. You would think that the cell provider would call the old phone, just to verify before switching. If their is an issue, you would need to visit a store and show and ID and billing statement for verification. It is amazing how much we depend on these devices in our daily lives.
They will not do that if they are the inside person inside your telephone service provider !!
Finally, a thorough explanation of this scam. Thank you.
I had no idea having online account authentication defeated by scammers was so easy. We will definitely take steps to prevent SIM SWAP SCAM. Thank you from San Diego County, California. 😊
Very well made video! It seems like a huge vulnerability that phone call center employees have the ability to completely bypass the 2 factor authentication system so easily.
Call center employees are probably relatively low paid, and their efficiency is often measured by how many calls/hour they process, which means they are not likely to rigorously interrogate someone calling up to do a SIM swap. Scary.
I spent 2.5 hours talking to an agent that didn’t tell me he was only a sales associate. I finally got to a billing agent but I was really frustrated as you can tell.
if only state officials spoke like you , we all be in better shape ! thank you.
Sadly, the scammers often are over seas and rarely get prosecuted.
Librarians are our friends! Thank you!
That’s why I picked a code to give to the cell phone company when I call. They will not speak to me without it!!
Good luck with that. These scams have an insider that you will never, ever know. I have a code that I have not written anywhere. The only two entities that know this code are myself and the carrier who set up the code. When an upgraded phone was purchased using this code, (to be mailed to a Texas resident with a different name, even though I live in Hawaii) I got an email from my carrier saying, “your new phone is on its way. Thank you for upgrading with, blah, blah, blah…”. I called the company, returned an email to notify them so the purchase was stopped. When I asked them how it had been purchased, they said that the person used my digital code. I asked them how that was possible since only they and I know the code. Then I asked him if the purchase was possibly made internally by one of their reps. It had “possibly been” but they refused to tell me who it was and refused to do anything about it beyond firing that person. That is the only disingenuous of them, it’s unfair and unconscionable. I have no recourse to punish the person for my data breach. And frankly, the carriers don’t care. They deal with this all the time.
Yep they will. They've done to me
@moonbaby3046 its compulsory for Australian ISP customers to have a pw. If a scammer opens my ISP app they still have to enter the pw not saved on my devise. When I change devices my ISP immediately notifies me that my sim card has been accessed by such n such device and if it was me please ignore.
Thank you for the information. Helpful. Although here in Europe the SIM is sent to the address of the phone user. How the scammer receives the new SIM is critical for this scam to work. Interesting to see your library providing a useful service. Well done.
I learned something new here. Scammers are always inventing new scams. Always be wary of everyone.
sure, but in this case, we are punished because of other peoples failures. we dont even have to participate to be damaged here.
I'm very concerned about this topic and have watched some other videos on it. This is by far the best I have seen because it is very systematic, seems pretty comprehensive, and yet brief - which is not say it is easy - but it gives you most helpful directionS to pursue. THANK YOU FOR MOST HELPFUL WORK.
This is the best information I've heard in a while. Clear, concise, and in plain English. Thank you!!
Great tutorial, and you get extra points for saying “SIM swap scam” correctly several times. ❤
Great presentation. You’ve explained a complex topic in an easy to understand format. The handwritten visuals were a good touch.
Very clearly explained. Thank you.
As an information security professional, I have recently been asked what SIM swapping is by a couple of different people. In the future, I will point anyone with such questions to your video.
Thanks for keeping your patrons informed. These scams are more and more common.
Not many people know about this scam. I appreciate this video.
Thank you for your public service!! It is now "unbelievable" to view the perverse efforts that criminals will use to cheat and steal.
Good information. At the beginning of the video, I thought I was protected because I don't have any financial apps on my phone and never use my phone for any financial transactions. Didn't think about the fact that 2-factor authorization (covered later in the video) could be compromised and the hacker could change my bank account passwords and clean me out. I feel somewhat comforted by the fact that I don't have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, etc., so hackers will have to work hard to "phish" for personal info about me.
Excellent, its not the content that matters so much, as how it is delivered. This young lady has a fabulous delivery. No Powerpoint either ☺
Putnam County Library needs to hold on to this person!!
07:30 - 4 signs that you are a victim of a SIM Swap Scam.
1. Your cell stops working
2. You're notified of activity
3. You're unable to access accounts
4. You notice unauthorized transations
09:32 - How to try to prevent being a victim of a SIM Swap Scam.
1. Don't reply to requests
2. Limit shared info online
3. Setup pin/password
4. SETUP ALERTS!!!!!
5. User stronger options
Verizon actually has a lot of security features that users can turn on or off from their account.
On an iPhone, you can go into Settings>Screen Time>Content and Privacy Restrictions>toggle the button on at the top of the page>scroll down to Passcode Changes>switch to don't allow, the Account Changes to don't allow, then you will need to set up a different 4 digit code to lock both. This prevents someone from changing your passcode or making account changes.
Thanks for the tip. I also set Cellular Data Changes to Don’t Allow. There was no opportunity to set up a new four-digit code.
How do you set up a 4 digit code to lock both?
You’ve missed the point completely. The scammer hijacks your phone number by using a service provider to issue a new SIM card with your phone number, they don’t actually take your physical SIM card.
Excellent video. Very informative without a lot of drama. Given that this scam keeps happening, and service providers are well aware of it, it seems to me they should require much more proof to prove identity - including an in-person visit, instead of handling these transactions over the phone. I believe they should be held accountable for any lost funds. Anyhow, keep up the good work!
When I call customer service about my account, they grill me left and right about my identity. It is sickening that these con artists are able to access my account information. These companies need to bear more responsibility when there is a breach. I wonder if the company’s employee is in cahoots with the scammers.
I just recently heard about SIM swap thru a UA-cam of someone lost significant amount of money by SIM swap. Thanks so much of sharing the tips.
Can't thank you enough for taking the time to do this. Librarians empowering the people when the banks and cell phone companies aren't. Priceless.
part of the problem is the online sites that share ALL of our personal information and they refuse to remove this information.
Exactly right. Your info is out there but you did not give consent.
Not sure why this was recommended in my feed, but really good presentation. Commenting so it appears in more people's feed.
One important detail that wasn’t covered in this video: The SIM swap scam only works if the scammer also knows your email address or user ID for your online accounts, and knows they are associated with your phone number. Otherwise they can’t successfully use “forgot my password” to get a text sent to them.
Yes either an inside attack or data leak 😢 soooo much of our data is leaked…
Do not do banking through your phone.
This woman is great. Thank you for the detailed information delivered in a concise and clear manner! I definitely subscribed.
Very useful advice! I loved the high-tec presentation of points!!
Thank you to the library for providing this education! 🇺🇸 👍☕
Wow! Thanks for teaching the whole world how to easily gain access to a person's bank account. Basically this teaches anyone how to scam.
It happened to me 2 weeks ago. Thank you so much for your video. It's important to spread awareness to help others avoid falling victim to the same scam.
On one hand, an informative video for honest, well-meaning cell phone users. On the other hand, a detailed step-by-step learning tool for more potential SIM scammers who may not have even thought about doing something like this. This video tells them exactly what to do.
Thank you for making us aware of what to do. This kind of attack seems to be on the rise lately
I love your videos. I'm only 61 and pretty tech savvy, but have sometimes had to explain these kinds of scams to older neighbors and friends... and your videos are so much better than my explanation! Thank you so much.
You explain it better than other similar vids.
Here is a good tip if you want to dramatically reduce the potential of you or your relatives getting scammed. If someone contacts you by email, text or phone and claims to be from an institution you do business with, and wants to you take a course of action or do something unusual, tell them to send you a letter in the mail and you will review it. How many scammers do you suppose will send an actual letter?
Phone companies should be accountable for this shit .
Great video.The scammers are highly educated in the technical field.Millions of people know the minimal about their phone.Thank you for sharing.
This is the best explanation that I have ever heard. You are very good at explaining the subject matter.
After listening to this I went to my own carrier, T-mobile, and discovered I could “lock” SIM swaps. By doing so, I would have to go into a physical store to swap a SIM in the future.
I’d suggest everyone call their mobile carrier and secure the ability to swap a SIM remotely.
This was an extremely helpful and informative video! Thank you so much for presenting it in such an easy to understand way! 👍
Great video, comprehensive! I always wondered what a SIM car swap was...i assumed in involved someone actually needing to physicslly have access to your phone! I finally understand. Thank you
bless you for explaining this in simple terms. You are providing a real public service.
This is the best, clearest and most understandable explanation of this topic I have come across online. Thank you very much for this invaluable information.
As a direct result of watching your video I called my phone manufacturer and made a few changes to have more secure bank transactions. Thank you.
An excellent tutorial, most people don’t know about this so you’re providing a great service, I try to let people know about these things all the time, there’s another thing out there you don’t even need a Sim card anymore, there are virtual Sim cards now
Thank you, Im in another state and appreciate that your library made this information public.
Thx hun. I always wondered how sim scams work and u broke it down perfectly and simple again thx.
Wow... I work in IT and get weekly security threat emails, but not one has covered this topic. Good job.
Simple explanation of a complicated scam. Nicely done video!
Best explanation of any Sim Swapping video I've seen - great job!
Thank you for this clearly outlined issue and the detailed procedures. Very helpful and much appreciated.
Speaking as someone working in the field this is a great presentation of the problem and the steps to mitigate it. Nicely done.
Great presentation regarding the latest scam regarding phone/identity theft - clear, concise and to the point. I use my mobile phone for communication purposes only - no banking, social media, email or other online activity. My carrier does require a pin to make any changes so I am hopefully in good shape against this type of scam. Thanks for posting!
Thank you for spreading awareness about this issue!
I've ALWAYS been leary of using cell phone banking. I was consoled by the banks that it was fairly secure. But that was then. Now, it looks really hazardous. I'll have to pursue stronger protections. Thanks so much for this presentation. Very clear.
its not just banking , its everything, every login thats 2FA. people like me whose work requires logging into other computer systems for access, that would all have to be updated and changed, it would take me days to straighten in out. with the right target its almost like a indirect denial of service attack - with days of lost time wages involved.....
@@orbitalair2103I cannot imagine how banking in any country could be based on the phone number alone. That is beyond reckless. In Finland I need by customer number (8 digits only in my head) by PIN (4 digits only on my head), a single use code from a card the back has provided and then a PIN sent to my phone. Alternatively I can use my mobile app in which I need just a PIN (in addition to the screen PIN).
Use your home PC instead with no autofill PWs. No banking apps or PWs on the phone.
I believe the cell phone is only used when a website asks for a 2 factor authorization. So first wld b enter password, then the bank would send a code via text to ur cell. It is this code that the scammer can use if they stole ur sim and ported ur number.
You are the best! This is incredibly valuable information for everyone! My wife sent it to her 80 years young parents
Being a victim of this myself, I love that this video was released. I might upload a video myself, with some alterations of the info in this video. One of my qualms with it is the point made at 10:44. Even though NO ONE on the planet but me knew my PIN, I was still a SIM swap victim. I do very strongly agree with the point made at 11:12. I would ESPECIALLY emphasize using stronger 2-factor on your personal email address since that is the FIRST thing they go for after the SIM swap (again, I was a victim and know this). At the time it happened to me, my email provider DID NOT offer the choice of GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR, but they do now.....and that would have saved me the $22000 in crypto the hacker got away with.
Yes 😢 a lot of data breaches.. AT&T just had over a billion customers leaked.. that is what happened to me so I changed everything including security question. Be safe and sorry to hear your story. May they scrub the floors of hell for eternity
Thank you so much, for all the information and teaching us to be prepared for this scammer, it’s not that easy for a senior citizen unfortunately we has to learn this terrible ordeal 🙏🙏🙏
Excellent information and advice! I would move securing your mobile provider with pin as priority #1, as they can’t SIM swap without your mobile provider’s help. I would also recommend using multiple methods of alerts for banking activity. For example, send alerts for transactions over $100 to two different email accounts, and two different mobile numbers. That way, if an account is hacked, the alerts will reach the other accounts.
You should always have multiple ways of receiving alerts on your accounts, meaning not only texts, but also email notifications. Even if they have your SIM, they still don't have access to your email.
And like you said, try to use uthenticator apps if your institutions supports them, especially those that need pins or biometric info to open them such as MS authenticator. I think it should law that all institutions support authenticator apps to prevent such scams. And even to prevent institutions from being hacked.
And all cellphones should always have passcodes to get into them in case it's stolen or you lose it.
Thank you so much for this very clear explanation of SIM card swapping. This is enormously helpful and educational!
This is the best video that I've seen Regarding Sim Swap Scam. Very detailed and informative. Thanks !
Thank you for this universal public service
This is great info. More public libraries should put out this type of useful informational videos.
TY, Putnam County - from Orange County, Florida!
The best explanation to date.
Cute and succinct, good tutorial on how to conduct the scam. Missing is a summary of how a victim should respond in case of getting scammed. (A website was referenced but to complete this presentation this could have been summarized.)
Happened to me few years ago. I lost most of my identity data but not money loss. I did a police report but was very frustrating how Police and law department's don't have any knowledge of this sort of issues.
Agreed 😢 sorry to hear friend. Happy at least your safe financially, I too am compromised with my data everywhere. Be safe and I pray your scammer scrubs the floor of hell for eternity
That was by far the best explanation of how the scam works and how to prevent it. Thank you !!!!
I just want to add, to anyone reading this, make sure your email is secure as well. If you're getting a lot of spam emails, scammers are aware of your email. If you especially get spam emails where you're the person the email from , but you know you didn't send yourself that email, then they have hacked your email. The only way to remedy this is to set up an email alias and stop using your old email address. For all of you with "hotmail" accounts, consider this.
regardless of the legal aspects about who is responsible for losses, the nightmare of just having to deal with being hacked the time, waiting on call queues, etc - it is worth being very aware of all possible frauds.
never hear of this Sim swap before. Thanks for this important report.
Excellent information and presentation. Thank you so much. The SP is responsible for our security for on line renew of lost SIM card and not mandated renew over the counter in person and ID.
Thank you for this information. Another tip, don’t let your phone control your whole life
Sounds like carriers need to tighten their security around verification. Require all customers to set up a pin with their carrier.
Consumer cellular does have a pin requirement to enter in to owners account not sure what happens if customer or scammers tells them they forgot their pin
This was a very nice public service message. Thank-you.
Thanks for this complete explanation of SIM swap scams.
Most cell phone carriers will now set up an additional authentication code for your cell account. This code will be used when ever you or anyone you authorize on cell account, calls the cell customer number for assistance. Without this new code number you set up with your provider... the scammers can not high jack your phone/account and are shut down in step 1. Just like stated in this awesome video (SET UP A NEW PIN NUMBER.... NOW). 🙂
If someone calls a provider saying their phones has been lost / destroyed, the provider should then verify this by CALLING THAT PHONE. If someone answers, you know that there's a scammer on the other line. The first line of defense is the provider, and they need to do a better job of protecting their customers.
A lot of people don't answer their phones unless the caller is on their contact list, usually because of excessive telemarketing/scam calls. Also the customer could be sleeping.
Most call centers for customer service are "inbound only" -- ie, there is no way to call out and verify anything.
They send alerts to you by text or email and you call them back with the regular phone number that you use to contact them before.
Excellent job. Very clear and thorough.
Excellent presentation. I've seen several videos on the topic of "SIM swapping", and this one is by far the most detailed and well-explained. 👍
Thank God for people like you!
God bless you !
Excellent video from a library, with a very good narrator. Thanks.
Thyank you for your service to the public
Thank you for this clear and well meaning video! My feeling is that the cell phone providers are getting off way too easy, as it was their mistake that set the horrible events into play. Why are they being protected?
New sub here.
I'm very glad to have just accidentally happened upon your video.
A very detailed and straightforward layout of what folks can do to try and stop yet another scam.
Thank you so much!!
God bless all.
It's so difficult in this online world to stay safe!! 🕊🙏🐾🐣
Thank you for this valuable information that also reaches people beyond Ohio