Community

sadbeaver · ‎12-05-2020

Hello experts there

My wife has been using publicmobile for more than a year without problem, untill yesterday when she cannot receive call or call out or send any msg. She is using iPhone6 and we can confirm that other non-publicmodule simcard works on her phone.

Could you please help us out? Resetting/Airmode-switching, everything tried and nothing works.

Since she does not have a community account, I'm using my account to raise this issue on behalf of her.

Please contact us via my number(since hers doesn't work now).

Any immediate help is much appreciated.

Regards

JoyLuck · ‎12-07-2020

@karenbear wrote:
This is Leo's wife..
I registered the community account and sent private message to the Moderator twice during the weekend, with no response whatsoever yet.
Can someone help me on how to escalate this issue given moderator is not replying?

Try using the chatbot in the lower right hand corner. It is sometimes faster than the private message.

It may take up to 48 hours for a reply from the moderators. Did you check the envelope icon in the top right hand corner for a reply.

During business hours, we strive to answer customer messages swiftly. You will often get an answer within an hour. During peak periods, you may need to wait up to 48 hours.

Moderators are available:

Monday to Friday from 8 AM to midnight Eastern time.
Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 10 PM Eastern time.

karenbear · ‎12-07-2020

This is Leo's wife..

I registered the community account and sent private message to the Moderator twice during the weekend, with no response whatsoever yet.

Can someone help me on how to escalate this issue given moderator is not replying?

kb_mv · ‎12-06-2020

@geopublic wrote:
@kb_mv Banks invest in software and AI that can flag and detect if a number has changed providers.

@geopublic, @Nezgar Learn something new everyday. Thanks.

Nezgar · ‎12-06-2020

@kb_mv wrote:
How do the banks and online stores know that the number has changed providers?

TLDR: Banks could lookup and watch for routing changes for numbers...

To support LNP "Local Number Portability", each phone number is assigned to an LRN "Local routing number" which is associated with an OCN "Operating Company Number". A number port will change the LRN / OCN associated with a phone number for routing purposes. Those who are authorized and pay to query this database can see when a number has changed carriers. It's more restricted in Canada with additional mandate that data can not be resold, so some free lookup services that work for USA numbers do not work for Canadian numbers.

More on the topic here:

A paid lookup service example is here, I doubt it works for Canadian numbers though: https://www.alcazarnetworks.com/data_services_lnp_lrn.php

And another, only for USA numbers:

https://telnyx.com/number-lookup

I've found Twilio will identify the routing carrier for incoming and outgoing Canadian number calls in the trace logs though...

geopublic · ‎12-05-2020

@kb_mv Banks invest in software and AI that can flag and detect if a number has changed providers.

darlicious · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver

You probably got a new moderator who is being hyper-vigilant. I have dealt with my bf's account on a monthly basis with the moderators knowing it was me dealing with it not him. However the difference may have been I never use simon. I always private message and as a result I pre-verify with the following:

Full name and address on the account.
Phone # and email address.
Pin #

Sometimes I throw in the date of birth or alternate ph # just to save time in case they ask for additional identifiers. I always leave a detailed message.

Anonymous · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver wrote:
How do I cancel the accidentally selected solution?
Thanks all for the compassion here in the forum. I got totally opposite feeling when talking to mediator who ask my wife to create a account to resubmit the issue. My wife does not know how to create community account. I did everything for her here. In front of such a urgent fault at publicmobile the service level is unbelievably low compared to people here around proving advice.
Anyway, this is Canada and maybe I should get used to it

The moderators would have no idea or clue that someone is not the actual person. If someone can answer and verify the identifying information then that's all they need. You can type in neutral language not referring to anybody else...just looking to get a problem solved. For all they know, you are that person.

kb_mv · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver wrote:
How do I cancel the accidentally selected solution?
Thanks all for the compassion here in the forum. I got totally opposite feeling when talking to mediator who ask my wife to create a account to resubmit the issue. My wife does not know how to create community account. I did everything for her here. In front of such a urgent fault at publicmobile the service level is unbelievably low compared to people here around proving advice.
Anyway, this is Canada and maybe I should get used to it

@sadbeaver On the reply that you selected as solution, there should be a button to un select or change it (Can't remember what it's called).

As for your wife needing to submit the issue from her account, you can go into it (like I do for my "wife's" account) and submit it. They need to see some indication that the account owner is the one they are dealing with.

Customer service? Nothing to do with Canada. Prices here are low, rewards are decent. Their main page says customer service is online. The forums here are part of that, triaging I guess, where possible. If you need a more personal experience, perhaps Koodo or Telus would better meet your needs.

sadbeaver · ‎12-05-2020

How do I cancel the accidentally selected solution?

Thanks all for the compassion here in the forum. I got totally opposite feeling when talking to mediator who ask my wife to create a account to resubmit the issue. My wife does not know how to create community account. I did everything for her here. In front of such a urgent fault at publicmobile the service level is unbelievably low compared to people here around proving advice.

Anyway, this is Canada and maybe I should get used to it

kb_mv · ‎12-05-2020

@geopublic wrote:
@gpixel Sim swapping is preferred by criminals because that is how they get around the 48 hour 2FA freeze that some banks and online stores have implemented to protect customers when their number gets ported out to another provider.

@geopublic How do the banks and online stores know that the number has changed providers?

geopublic · ‎12-05-2020

@gpixel Sim swapping is preferred by criminals because that is how they get around the 48 hour 2FA freeze that some banks and online stores have implemented to protect customers when their number gets ported out to another provider.

Nezgar · ‎12-05-2020

@kb_mv

Thing is PM has the means to determine the geographic location of the device containing the SIM that was transferred to.... They could use the e911 geolocation, tower logs etc. Maybe asking each person affected to start an RCMP file would light a fire.. Anyway, my ramblings...

kb_mv · ‎12-05-2020

@gpixel @Nezgar It does seem like we have seen an awful lot of whatever term you like to use, here lately. Too bad we aren't on the inside and can see if these accounts were part of the breach or if they are predominantly a result of poor cyber security (of which we have seen a lot of on here as well). It would be interesting if someone affected came back to their thread and said PM told them the breach could have been the result of this breach (would they ever admit this?) and as a result did something about it. You would like to that in todays day and age, a company that has suffered a breach, would at the very least notify the affected accounts to change their passwords.

gpixel · ‎12-05-2020

Nezgar · ‎12-05-2020

Hopefully at least for this forum we can try to clearly separate the difference between simswap/simjack and portout fraud... in my mind they are unique and different attacks...

Sim swap = sim card changed on same account
Sim jack = sim card changed on same account
Port out scam/fraud = number ported to another account, usually a different carrier - and the only one with new protection measures in place.

darlicious · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver

I am sorry to hear this has happened to your wifes account. Once you have secured both of your financial accounts and changed passwords etc....on all related or linked accounts I suggest you do the following:

Create a pm specific email for each of your accounts. You can have the moderators change the emails in your accounts. Change your security question and answer as well.
Do not use the same email for all of your accounts. Create and have a few different ones.
Always have a strong password and never remain signed into any accounts.
Review and remove personal identifiers (ie. birthday) from social media or other online sites.
Personally i have removed email and my phone number from my bank accounts. My identity must proven in person at my bank with two pieces of i.d.

I hope the damage is limited and you get it all sorted out. Best tidings.

kb_mv · ‎12-05-2020

@gpixel wrote:
I've been in the forum's since the breach. I've spoken to many customers. don't you ever wonder why it isn't a sim jack, but a sim swap, which is currently unstoppable

@gpixel I have read a lot on this phenomenon. There doesn't seem to be any consensus on a differentiation between sim swapped and sim jacked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_swap_scam

gpixel · ‎12-05-2020

Nezgar · ‎12-05-2020

@gpixel The Telus/koodo data breach occurred in February 2020, but the data was for Aug+Sep 2017: https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/carriers/telus/telus-koodo-data-breach/

@sadbeaver Based on the reports we've seen on the forums here, PayPal is most often what hackers are targeting once the SIM is swapped. PayPal allows resetting the account password with a confirmation code sent via text. If your wife has a PayPal account with that mobile number linked she should try to login and confirm if any balance was transferred out.

If your wife was not a Public Mobile customer in August or September 2017, maybe her password was used on another site that had a well known data breach - you can check her email address here:

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

gpixel · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver

there was a Telus data breach in Feb 2020. any accounts activated before that time have the potential to be compromised. I suggest you also take the same steps to secure your accounts and not just your wifes

sadbeaver · ‎12-05-2020

Thanks, got it.

So I've suspended the service for my wife.

gpixel · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver Just wondering, can someone elaborate why publicmobile simcard hacking could impact bank accounts?

because many people use their cellphone number as a two factor authentication. if the perpetrators have your cell number, they will be able to access your bank accounts

JK8 · ‎12-05-2020

@JK8 wrote:
@sadbeaver wrote:
I did exactly that!
Plus, I checked my own number system and the simcard 4-digit matches the simcard in my phone!
therefore, my wife's is indeed hacked.
Just wondering, can someone elaborate why publicmobile simcard hacking could impact bank accounts?

There are lots of links of info on the internet. You can Google later. Don’t waste time and start securing your financial accounts.

Also put your account in lost/stolen mode and change password.

Dunkman · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver

@sadbeaver wrote:
I did exactly that!
Plus, I checked my own number system and the simcard 4-digit matches the simcard in my phone!
therefore, my wife's is indeed hacked.
Just wondering, can someone elaborate why publicmobile simcard hacking could impact bank accounts?

Unfortunately, SIM swaps can happen with any mobile account.

Some online banking requires mobile phone texts to confirm identity and gain access to online accounts. Same with email, PayPal,et.

JK8 · ‎12-05-2020

sadbeaver · ‎12-05-2020

I did exactly that!

Plus, I checked my own number system and the simcard 4-digit matches the simcard in my phone!

therefore, my wife's is indeed hacked.

Just wondering, can someone elaborate why publicmobile simcard hacking could impact bank accounts?

JK8 · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver wrote:
hmmm? I was following previous advice.
Could you help clarify how I should compare the simcard numbers?

In self service choose the link that says Change Sim Card

sadbeaver · ‎12-05-2020

hmmm? I was following previous advice.

Could you help clarify how I should compare the simcard numbers?

JK8 · ‎12-05-2020

@sadbeaver wrote:
Man, that's a shocking surprise...
I need to digest it and see how to estimate the impact..
Thank you again for the helpful information!
Publicmobile, you owe users like my wife an explanation and related follow-up to resolve it.

Just to confirm. You compared the sim numbers from Change SIM card in self service? It is not the account number you compare.

sadbeaver · ‎12-05-2020

Man, that's a shocking surprise...

I need to digest it and see how to estimate the impact..

Thank you again for the helpful information!

Publicmobile, you owe users like my wife an explanation and related follow-up to resolve it.

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