SIM-Swap / Number Port-Out Fraud
Criminals move your phone number to a SIM they control — using stolen info or a bribed/scammed carrier rep — then intercept your calls and 2FA codes to break into your accounts.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
In a SIM swap, a fraudster convinces your mobile carrier (using your leaked personal data, or by phishing your carrier PIN) to transfer your phone number to a new SIM or a new carrier. Suddenly your phone loses service and the criminal receives your texts and calls — including the one-time codes that protect your bank, email, and crypto. They then reset passwords and drain accounts. A sudden loss of cell signal for no reason can be the first warning sign.
What it usually looks like
- Your phone unexpectedly losing all signal/service.
- Alerts that your number was ported or a new SIM was activated.
- Password-reset and login notifications you didn't initiate.
- Inability to receive calls/texts followed by account lockouts.
Common warning signs
- Sudden loss of cellular service with no outage.
- Carrier notifications about SIM/number changes you didn't request.
- A wave of account-security emails at once.
- Prior phishing for your carrier PIN.
Example wording scammers use
“[Carrier]: Your number has been successfully transferred to a new device.”
“(Your phone shows 'No Service' and shortly after, your email/bank starts sending reset codes.)”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Control of your phone number.
- The 2FA codes and calls tied to it.
- Access to your bank, email, and crypto.
What to do
- Set a strong carrier account PIN and a port-freeze/number-lock with your carrier.
- Use app-based authenticators or hardware security keys instead of SMS 2FA for critical accounts.
- If you suddenly lose service for no reason, contact your carrier immediately from another phone.
- Never share your carrier PIN or one-time codes.
What to do if you already responded
- Call your carrier at once to reclaim the number and lock the account.
- From a secure device, reset passwords on email, bank, and crypto and revoke sessions.
- Report to ic3.gov and reportfraud.ftc.gov.