@genald wrote:
Hello,
My sim card just stopped working.
I went to buy a new one. We tried a chatr sim and it worked.
But the new public mobile didn't work. It didn't work either.
When i went online to change sim, first the number didn't match.
Second, when i try to put a new one. It says that there is an error or the sim card is already used. Is there someone who can help ?
Thanks in advance
Hello @genald , so sorry to hear this! It does sound like a SIM Fraud issue.
- Let the moderators know about this as well, submit a ticket here – to be connected to the Fraud Management Moderator team who will be able to restore your original SIM card.
- Also recommended to contact your financial institutions to ensure your banking and credit card accounts have not been accessed and checking your social media accounts for any suspicious activity. Make sure you change your passwords to these accounts immediately.
- You may also want to report the fraud to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501, as well as contact the two national credit bureaus to request a copy of your credit reports and place a fraud warning on your file (Equifax Canada Toll free:1-800-465-7166 and TransUnion Canada Toll free: 1-877-525-3823).
SIM swapping is a type of fraud targeting your personal information so that criminals can impersonate you and access your bank accounts. Most victims won’t know they’ve been compromised until they try to place a call or send a text message which doesn’t go through.
How the SIM swapping scam works
- Many SIM swap scams start with a phishing email to try and trick you into revealing personal information the criminal can then use to impersonate you.
- Once they have enough personal information, the criminal will call your mobile provider or use the online chat option pretending to be you. They'll request a new SIM card in your name.
- Once they’ve gained the new SIM card connected to your phone number, they’ll have access to all services you’ve linked to your phone: bank accounts, emails, pictures, phone calls, text messages, etc.
How to protect yourself
- Set up a passcode/PIN with your service provider to access your phone for any online or phone interactions. Do not use the same PIN as you use for other accounts, like your bank account.
- Don’t publish your phone number on any of your social media profiles and limit the amount of personal information you post online like your birthday, elementary school names, or your pet’s name. Fraudsters can use these clues to answer common identification questions and impersonate you.
- Don’t use the same passwords or usernames across multiple accounts. Always create a strong, unique password for your sensitive accounts. Click here to learn more about how to create a strong password.
Don’t click on links or attachments in suspicious emails or text messages. Remember that your bank will never send you an email, or call you on the phone, asking you to disclose personal information such as your password, credit or debit card number, or your mother’s maiden name.
