SPECIAL - SIM Swapping in Australia: Don’t Let Scammers Hijack Your Life

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Episode Transcript

Welcome to this special episode on SIM Swapping in Australia. Don’t let scammers hijack your life. I’m Leigh Kefford and today we’re going to dive into a sneaky and growing cyber threat. Sim swapping. You might think this doesn’t happen in Australia, but trust me, it’s happening more often than you realize. In fact, it’s leaving some Aussies locked out of their accounts and out of pocket. Let’s break it all down and more importantly, talk about how you can protect yourself.

What is SIM swapping? So what exactly is SIM swapping? Imagine you’re going about your day and suddenly your phone loses signal. No calls, no texts, nothing.

You think it’s just a network issue, but actually a scammer has convinced your mobile provider to transfer your phone call to a new SIM card they control. Why is this so dangerous? Well, your phone number is often the key to your digital life. Scammers can use it to receive your two factor authentication codes, access your banking, email and social media accounts. Lock you out of all your accounts completely while they steal your information and money.

Think this doesn’t happen here? Let me give you some real examples.

Earlier last year, nine Australians had their sims swapped without their knowledge. Scammers used their phone numbers to break into bank accounts, stealing over $160,000 in total.

One telco provider, Medion in Australia, was fined 260,000 for failing to properly verify scammers identity.

And it’s not just one company. Telstra and Optus have reported cases of SIM swapping too. Criminals are using personal info like what’s on your social media or from data breaches to impersonate you.

What’s being done in Australia?

To combat this, the Australian Communication and Media Authority introduced tougher rules back in 2022. Our telcos must use multi factor authentication for high risk transactions like SIM swaps. That means you might need to provide a pin, answer a security question or even verify your ID in person. But even with these rules in place, scammers are still finding ways around them, sometimes because staff don’t follow proper procedures.

How to protect yourself the good news? You can take steps to protect yourself. Here are four easy things you can do right now.

Secure your telco account, call your mobile provider and set up extra protections like an account PIN or an in person verification for SIM changes.

Switch to Authenticator apps instead of relying on SMS codes. Use an authenticator app like Microsoft or Google Authenticator for two factor authentication.

Watch for red flags. If your phone suddenly loses service or you get unexpected account change notifications, contact your provider immediately. Limit what you share online. Be mindful of what personal details you post on social media. Things like your birthday, phone number or even your pet’s name can be used by scammers to impersonate you. SIM swapping is real and it’s happening here in Australia, but by taking a few simple precautions, you can protect your phone number and your digital life from scammers. If you want to learn more, check out the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s Guide on Sim Swapping www.tio.com au There will also be links in the show. Note to other resources available as well.

Thank you for tuning in to this special episode of the Don’t Be a Sitting Duck podcast.

Stay informed, stay vigilant and don’t let cyber criminals make you a sitting duck.

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