How to protect yourself from mobile scammers

I want to share with you some knowledge of how scammers break into the lives of ordinary people today and take their honestly earned money. (the described cases are more applicable to the Ukrainian market)

Previously, we were afraid that our passport data and identification code (TIN) would not fall into the wrong hands and they didn’t take credit for us. But, today, this data is not so necessary to take money from you.

Almost all of us use mobile communications and some kind of bank. And of course you are sure to use the application or personal online account. Authorization in this office is most often carried out using your mobile number, which means that to get access to your money I just need to get your SIM-card.

Each service provider has a number recovery procedure (in case you lost, damaged your SIM card).

In order to make a replacement for the SIM card, you need to go through the identification procedure (i.e. I must prove that this number is mine by answering a few questions).

I will list some of them:

• Your code word
• PUK of your phone number
• The numbers you called recently
• Amount of last deposit
• First call date
• Name of your tariff plan

Most often, all of the above information is in your account or application of the mobile operator.

For authorization they will use your phone number, i.e. in the process of registration or authorization, an SMS will be sent to your number with a code that identifies you and lets you enter the application / account.

How do scammers use it?

Of course, they will somehow find out that you have money, for example:

• You have posted an ad that you are looking for an apartment / car (for purchase)
• You in any other way informed the World that you have money
• It is possible that one of the bank employees that you use is leaking information

So, scammers know your phone number and understand that you are in the money. It remains the case for small, download the application of your mobile operator or go to your personal account:

• Enter your number in the authorization field
• Call you and introduce yourself as an employee of your operator and, of course, say some nonsense that the operator is carrying out work related to the network or that he is an information security officer (etc.) and he really needs to find out the code that you just received in SMS
• Next, the code that you personally reported to him enters in your personal account and successfully enters the office in which is full of data to restore your SIM card
• Having received this data, he calls / writes to the Contact Center or goes to the operator’s store and makes a replacement for the SIM card

Voila! Your number is in the wrong hands. It remains to go into banking and withdraw your money.

As you know, the pros of their business do this operation in a matter of minutes, leaving you no chance of a reaction.

Although some operators do not immediately replace the SIM and pre-send an SMS with a warning:

"Try to restore your number, if it is not you, cancel the application."

What other fraud methods are there?

The call. The first story.

They call you with a tearful voice and introduce themselves as your son or daughter. In a tearful, hysterical voice, on the other side of the wire, you will not immediately understand whether this is really your blood or not. This “native voice” tells you that he got to the police because of:

• I got caught with weed or other drugs
• I hit a man in a car
• Vandalism
• etc. etc.

And then some allegedly a law enforcement officer picks up the phone and begins to tell you about the "panacea" for this situation, you just need to transfer the "N" amount of money to the card.

And you say: “But I don’t have that amount.”

In response, hear: “How much is there?”

Well, then you will be asked to transfer money to the card, the ones that you have available.

You will be kept on the line for as long as possible to prevent you from calling the real number of your loved one and making sure that this is really your relative and that he needs your help.

The call. The second story.

Some banks offer to perform the operation in ATMs without a card, i.e. for identification, you need your phone number (as I know about him, I wrote above). And again, the story repeats itself, the fraudster enters the number at the ATM, calls you, is presented by the bank employee and asks you to provide the code from SMS. Well, then he remains with the money, and you without.

SMS

You can send SMS of various contents:

• You won a car or “N” the amount of money, rather call the number XXXXXXXXXX and take your prize
• Your bank card is blocked, call XXXXXXXXXX for details
• Your mobile number is replenished by "N" amount
• etc. etc.

In some cases, you are asked to call the specified number and get what suddenly fell on your head. But, of course, there will be some conditions for receiving a prize, where you will be divorced for real money, and you will not receive anything in the final.

And in some, they will call you back and start saying: “Oh, we’ve mistakenly replenished your number ... You couldn’t replenish ours now.”

Just check your balance and you will make sure that a scammer calls you.

Total

What can be learned from this:

• Be responsible for your mobile number and never tell anyone:
  
  
  • Code from SMS sent to you by an operator, bank or other company. This code is only yours and no one else.
  • PUK code
  • The codeword
  • Where did you call from your number
  • When and how much were replenished
  • When activated your number
  • Amount of recent bills
  • Maybe there is something else, but I think it's all from the core
• Register your mobile number in the operator’s store (this will guarantee that only you can make a replacement SIM card)
• Always look at the number from which you allegedly received an informational SMS, if this is not your bank or operator’s number, just hammer in an SMS or report a fraud to your service provider
• Always find a way to contact your family member before you transfer money to a fraudster’s card.

Of course, I did not describe all the options for fraud, but I laid out everything I know and I want you to be on the alert, warned your mothers, dads, grandparents, friends, etc., just to save them and your nerves. Every day we have enough stress.

All strong nerves and take care of your loved ones!