As technology advances, crimes have become more sophisticated. People can now easily gain access to a victim’s information, take over their data, and then break into their bank accounts. This can be done by SIM Swap or swapping mobile phone numbers from other people.
This crime has reportedly claimed many victims with total losses of up to billions of Rupiah. The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has also warned the public to be more cautious. So, what is exactly the SIM Swap crime? Check out the explanation below!
Introduction to SIM Swap Crime
Mobile phone SIM has become a personal data storage for many people. Each of us has a different mobile phone number that we get from our SIM card. Not only that, this mobile phone number is later used by everyone for various purposes, including banking. Every bank needs the customer’s mobile phone number for the data verification process when making transactions.
The same thing applies when customers want to access the mobile banking application. For example, to log in or send a One-Time Password (OTP) to complete a transaction. This makes your mobile phone number very important to you.
The SIM swap crime occurs to harvest data from its victims. According to Kominfo data, this SIM Swap fraud occurred in 2017 in Australia. The fraudster swaps a victim’s SIM card for a new SIM card by transferring their data.
They collect the victim’s data by phishing. The fraudster sends a fake website to the victim to collect their data. Data can also be obtained from transactions using unencrypted public networks.
Once the data is obtained, the fraudster will transfer it to a new SIM card and activate it using the victim’s data. Later on, the victim’s SIM card will no longer function. The fraudster will send an OTP to the victim’s SIM to break into the victim’s account.
What to Do When You Are a Victim of SIM Swap?
This crime happens to anyone. Therefore, it is important to know what to do when becoming a victim. Here are the things you need to do:
- Block your mobile phone number through the SIM card operator’s call center
- Block your banking account and all its services, including mobile banking, SMS banking, and internet banking
- Report the crime to Halo BCA 1500888 and the authorities
- Make a consumer protection report to the Financial Services Authority and Bank Indonesia
Steps to Prevent SIM Swap Crime
It is always better to prevent it. You can follow these tips to prevent becoming a victim of SIM swap crime:
1. Do not share any data
Everyone needs to save their data and not share it with anyone. This data includes usernames, passwords, OTPs, PINs, credit card numbers, CVV, and other sensitive information. Securing your data will also secure your assets.
2. Change the password regularly
Account holders also need to create difficult passwords. Avoid making passwords that are based on your birthday, wedding day, or other important days. After that, change the password regularly at least once every 3 months. This periodic change will increase the hackability level.
3. Enable transaction notifications
It is recommended for bank account holders to activate transaction notifications on SMS, WhatsApp, or email for all important transactions or transactions of a certain amount. If there is a suspicious transaction, the customer can immediately know about it and block the transaction.
4. Never click on suspicious links
Phishing or stealing other people’s data can be done through links that lead to fake websites. The website will appear very similar to the legit website, prompting people to enter their data. This data will later be stolen by criminals for SIM swap.
5. Do not be easily enticed by deals
Fraudsters will offer banking offers that you might find hard to pass up. However, you should also be careful if the offer seems unreasonable and tends to be made up. Refuse and do not give away any data.
Read also: Avoid Fake SMS Traps by Understanding Smishing
There you have it, information on the SIM swap crime that is increasingly prevalent. As an account holder, it is better to check the transactions in your account regularly. You can use SMS banking, internet banking, or mobile banking services for easy transactions.