SIM Swap Bank Fraud over the phone

How it looks over the phone, the red flags and what to do.

A phone call lets the scammer talk fast, sound confident and keep you from thinking. The caller ID can be faked, so it proves nothing. SIM Swap Bank Fraud is one of the ways this shows up: Fraudsters get a duplicate SIM issued for your number, receive your bank OTPs and drain your account. A sudden loss of signal is the first sign.

What sim swap bank fraud looks like over the phone

• Being told to stay on the line and not to tell your family.
• Instructions to install a screen-sharing app or to press keys on the phone.
• A second "senior officer" who takes over the call.

The fraudster first collects your personal details through phishing links, fake KYC calls, leaked data or a chat in which you shared your name, date of birth and address. They may also gather your bank login details through a lookalike page. None of this is enough alone, because the OTP still goes to your SIM, so the next step is to take your number.

Red flags to check on the phone call

• Your phone loses network for a long time without a reason.
• A caller asks you to press a key or share a code for a SIM upgrade.
• You get bank alerts about password or number changes you did not make.
• A message about a new SIM request arrives that you did not ask for.
• You are asked to move money to a "safe account".
• You are told to keep the call secret.

What to do

1. Never share a code or press a key for a SIM upgrade on a call.
2. If your signal drops, use another phone to call your operator on the number on your bill.
3. Call your bank from another phone and ask to block net banking and UPI.
4. Call the bank or office on the number printed on your card, bill or official app, not on a number the caller gave.
5. Never share an OTP or PIN. No genuine staff member needs it.
6. If you already installed an app on the call, uninstall it and switch on airplane mode, then call your bank at once.

Report the number on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility). If money moved, call 1930 immediately.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 quickly from another phone and give the details and time.
2. Call your bank on the number printed on your card and block accounts, cards and UPI.
3. Ask your operator to block the duplicate SIM and issue a new one after identity checks.
4. Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in and change all banking passwords.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio includes a SIM-change alert for the anti-theft feature, which can tell the owner through the portal that the SIM in a protected phone has changed. That helps for a lost or stolen phone, but it cannot see a swap done by the operator on your number. Pay attention to a sudden loss of signal and call your bank from another phone.

Full guide: SIM Swap Bank Fraud: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: SMS, fake app, email.

Questions