SIM Swap Fraud and Duplicate SIM Takeover over the phone

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

Callers pretend to be bank staff, police, a courier, a telecom officer or a relative, and they try to keep you on the line while you act. SIM Swap Fraud and Duplicate SIM Takeover is one of the ways this shows up: Your phone loses network for no reason and OTPs go to a criminal's SIM. Learn the signs of SIM swap fraud and what to do at once.

What sim swap fraud and duplicate sim takeover looks like over the phone

• An unknown or international number, or a number that looks like a real office.
• A calm, official voice that already knows your name or the last digits of your card.
• Being told to stay on the line and not to tell your family.

The set-up begins with your personal details: name, number, address and a few ID details gathered from leaks, phishing or a fake KYC call. Using these, the scammer approaches a shop or a call centre to ask for a new SIM, claiming that his phone was lost. In another version a caller poses as an operator and asks you to press a key or send an SMS to 'upgrade to 5G' or 'update KYC', which approves the SIM change.

Red flags to check on the phone call

• A caller asks you to press a key or send an SMS to upgrade or update your SIM.
• Your phone suddenly shows no service while others nearby have network.
• You get messages that a SIM change was requested that you did not ask for.
• Bank or UPI alerts about transactions you did not do.
• The caller asks for an OTP, UPI PIN, card PIN or CVV.
• You are told that a case, arrest, block or penalty is coming within minutes.

What to do

1. If you lose network unexpectedly, contact your operator through another phone, using the number printed on your SIM pack or in its official app.
2. Call your bank on the number on your card and ask to block cards, UPI and net banking temporarily.
3. Change email and social passwords using another device and number.
4. Tell a family member and report the number on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility).
5. Hang up. A real bank or office will not mind that you call them back.
6. Call the bank or office on the number printed on your card, bill or official app, not on a number the caller gave.

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 immediately and report at cybercrime.gov.in with the SIM and bank details.
2. Tell your bank at once so it can try to hold or recall the transfers.
3. Ask the operator in writing about the SIM change request and keep the reply.
4. Re-secure WhatsApp, email and other accounts that use your number.

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

Anti-theft in Safeavio Sentinel includes a SIM-change alert, which can warn you when the SIM in your phone changes, and recovery information. Scam check can read a message or script you paste, such as a '5G upgrade' call, and show the reasons it looks risky. Safeavio cannot stop an operator from issuing a duplicate SIM elsewhere, so contact your operator and bank at once.

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

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