Crime SIM swap scams

[thomas]

Over the past few years, Japan has experienced a surge in incidents known as "SIM swap scams." These scams involve the unauthorized takeover and misuse of cell phone numbers. Individuals who fall victim to these scams suddenly find themselves unable to establish a connection on their smartphones. Upon contacting their mobile phone provider, they are informed that their SIM card has been reissued or their number has been switched to a different carrier. Only then do they realize scammers have successfully extracted substantial sums of money from their bank accounts. In one instance, a fraudulent transaction reportedly occurred fifteen minutes after the victim's number was hijacked.

The process goes something like this: First the scammer sends a text to the person's phone, leading them to a fake phishing website that steals their personal information. That information is then used for a fake ID to claim that the person has lost their phone, allowing a new SIM card to be issued and the contract to be canceled with a switch to a new carrier. The illicitly obtained SIM card is then inserted into a smartphone held by the criminal group. With the cell phone number taken over, the victim's mobile connection is cut off. After that, the scammer logs in to the victim's internet banking account. It is apparently possible for the person's online banking password and other information to be exposed via the phishing site. [...] There are also measures to prevent illicit money transfers. Some banks offer a service whereby a one-time password is sent to a dedicated app or device rather than via a phone text message. Ushiro points out, "This is more inconvenient than a text message, but the result is higher security." Mobile phone companies are also called on to prevent impersonation of customers at stores. Tanigawa commented, "Before a new SIM card is issued, the victim will still be able to receive calls. They should call the person's smartphone once before going ahead with the procedures and confirm that it is the person in question."

'SIM swap' phone hijacking scam in Japan used to steal money in as little as 15 min. - The Mainichi

Japan has seen a spate of

mainichi.jp