Highlights
- The 35-year-old lawyer got three missed calls from different phone numbers.
- The police didn’t disclose the exact amount that was cheated.
- As per the police, a report has been filed with the cyber cell regarding the matter.
An advocate based in Delhi reportedly lost Rs 50 lakh after she received missed calls from unfamiliar numbers and fell prey to a phone hacking scam or SIM swap scam. As per the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police, even though the lawyer didn’t pick up the calls from the culprits or reveal any personal information or OTP, the culprits somehow obtained all her personal data, including her banking details, and took her money.
Delhi advocate loses Rs 50 lakh via SIM swap scam
- As per multiple reports, on October 18th, a lawyer who works in trial and high courts reported to the police that she lost lakhs of money from her account.
- A report by Times Now mentioned Rs 50 lakh. However, the police didn’t disclose the exact amount that was cheated.
- As per an officer, the 35-year-old lawyer got three missed calls from different phone numbers.
- Afterwards, she dialled that number from a different phone, but the person on the other end claimed it was a courier delivery call.
- The investigation found that the woman had a peculiar browsing history on websites and portals that she hadn’t visited herself.
- The police said they have filed a report with the cyber cell and are investigating the matter.
What is a SIM swap scam?
SIM swap fraud occurs when fraudsters exploit a security flaw in two-factor authentication. They do this by taking control of your phone number. Here’s how it works:
- Fraudsters contact your mobile carrier and trick them into activating a SIM card they have.
- Once this is done, the scammers gain control of your phone number.
- Any calls or texts to that number go to the scammers’ device, not yours.
- This is a problem because when you log into your bank’s website, the bank sends a text code for two-factor authentication to your phone number.
- However, after a SIM swap, that code goes to the scammers’ device, and they can use it to access your bank account.
Also Read
How to safeguard yourself from SIM swap scams?
Be cautious of social engineering tactics like vishing, phishing, and smishing, which try to steal your personal information. Here are some steps to follow:
- If your mobile number is not working or is out of service, contact your operator immediately.
- To be safe, change your bank account password immediately.
- Sign up for regular SMS and email alerts for your banking activities. This way, even if your SIM is deactivated, you’ll still get alerts via email.
- Periodically check your bank statement to make sure the transactions are genuine.
- If you become a victim of fraud, contact phone banking right away to block your account and prevent further fraud.
