SIM Security

[WilliamF11]

A security expert said to use a pin with your carrier to avoid sim swapping but public mobile does not provide one. What measures are in place instead of a pin as was suggested? 

[WilliamF11]

I like your answer but I remain apprehensive since YouTube has many experts advising to use pin and never rely on 2FA. The experts advise that the scammers like 2FA because the SIM swap is handled by a (low paid) representative who may make mistake and proceed with the number transfer. They convince the representative to transfer the number. At that point 2FA is not useful.

[Dunkman]

@WilliamF11 

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@WilliamF11 wrote:

Any personal phone. A lady had her SIM card swapped for another by a fraud that contacted her carrier. The carrier switched the service to the new SIM (fake). The security expert suggests carriers use a pin for each customer to verify before this can occur.

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With Public mobile, the key is to prevent unauthorized access to your self service account.  There is no phone number or live chat service with Public mobile.  Private message for customer service agent is possible, but it would require the scammer to have access to your account number, last 4 digits of your credit card on file and address information, etc.  

[Chalupa_Batman]

I hate to say it, but there's a lot more involved here than a simple SIM swap. This fraudster had to have access to a lot of her information before doing so. If her information was easy to get, then that's on her. You just need to protect your information closer than she did. 

[WilliamF11]

Any personal phone. A lady had her SIM card swapped for another by a fraud that contacted her carrier. The carrier switched the service to the new SIM (fake). The security expert suggests carriers use a pin for each customer to verify before this can occur.

[Dunkman]

@WilliamF11 

Public mobile's policy against SIM swaps is the 2FA authorization to get into your self service account.  The key is to have a strong password for your PM account and the 2FA authorization helps prevent unauthorized access to your account to complete the SIM swap.  

Here is some more information:

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/ab/get-help/articles/sim-swap-fraud

[Chalupa_Batman]

Are we talking about your phone itself? If so what kind of phone do you have? Or are you talking about your account via the PM website? 

[TheSterlinger]

You can lock your pin lock your SIM by going into your phones settings and creating a pin. 
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201529
https://www.androidpolice.com/enable-sim-lock-android-phone-protection/