Delhi woman loses ₹50 lakh in SIM Swap scam – Here’s how you can stay safe

• An advocate from Delhi has reportedly lost ₹50 lakh in a SIM swap scam.
• The woman has claimed that she did not share any OTP or banking information with the scammer.
• Here’s everything you need to know about the SIM swap scam and how to protect yourself.

In a bizarre incident, a woman from Delhi has reportedly lost ₹50 lakh to a new scam that is on the rise. The 35-year-old advocate has become the latest victim of what is being labelled as a SIM swap scam, raising concerns across the country.

First, what happened

The victim has claimed that she received three missed calls from an unknown number. Then, she called the person from another number and the caller claimed that it was a courier delivery call.

The victim then shared her address with the caller. After this, she received two messages revealing that 50 lakh were debited from her account. As per the victim, she did not share any OTP or banking details with the scammer.

Investigators have found that there were several debits from the victim’s account without her knowledge.

During the investigation, the police uncovered “unusual” web browsing history on the victim’s phone. Several websites and portals that the victim had not visited were noticed on her phone’s history. Additionally, the cops found a suspicious message about UPI registration as well.

“The woman in her complaint has also said that she received a call after the scam from a man, who portrayed himself as an IFSO officer, seeking her bank statement. Luckily, she didn’t share any details with him,” the officer said.

IFSO is the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit of the Delhi Police.

SIM Swap scam

The investigation has so far led the cops to believe that this is another instance of a SIM swap scam. Earlier this year, a businessman from Kolkata had lost ₹72 lakh in a similar fraud.

What is a SIM Swap scam?

As the name suggests, a SIM swap scam basically involves the scammer getting access to your SIM, either with the help of someone at the mobile service provider or through other means.

The scammer often convinces the network provider to activate a SIM card they possess, gaining control of the victim’s phone number. This allows the scammer to gain access to all calls and text messages that the victim may receive, which is important in this day and age where all accounts are linked to your phone number.

Once the scammer gets access to the victim’s phone number, they use it to gain access to their bank account and steal money.

How to protect yourself from SIM swap scam

While there’s a lot more that is needed to learn about SIM swap scam, here are some things that you can do –

• If your SIM stops working, immediately inform the telecom operator.
• Make use of a SIM lock, which prevents your SIM from being used on another smartphone without entering a password.
• Avoid sharing personal information online, especially things which can make it easier to crack your passwords.
• Keep a track of your accounts and report any unauthorised transactions.

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