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Experts urge holidaymakers to adopt five steps against rising SIM swap fraud

CEL Solicitors warns that hijacked mobile numbers allow criminals to bypass two-factor authentication to access funds within minutes

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Overview

  • FBI data shows a 400% jump in SIM swap fraud complaints from 2018 to 2021, with U.S. losses topping $68 million.
  • Ryan Sweetnam of CEL Solicitors says travellers are prime targets for SIM swap scams when they’re relaxed and using unsecured public Wi-Fi or roaming services.
  • Scammers persuade network providers to transfer victims’ numbers to SIM cards they control, intercepting one-time codes and calls.
  • Once a number is hijacked, fraudsters can access banking and cryptocurrency accounts within minutes and often remain undetected for days.
  • CEL Solicitors recommends five safety measures: refuse unsolicited data requests, switch to app-based two-factor authentication, monitor accounts abroad, use strong unique passwords with a manager, and report any unexpected signal loss immediately.