INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesStaff in mobile phone shops have become key to the execution of "Sim swap" scams, Watchdog Live has
discovered.Undercover filming revealed that O2 and Vodafone employees are bypassing basic ID checks and handing over replacement Sim cards
to potential criminals.Once fraudsters gain control of a mobile number, they can intercept SMS text messages from banks containing security
codes.Scammers have drained thousands of pounds from victims' bank accounts.O2 told the TheIndianSubcontinent it currently only asks for
photo ID when replacing Sims on a monthly contract, and that customers on Pay As You Go contracts would always receive an authorisation code
alerting them that someone is trying to access their number.However, that did not happen with any of the numbers being used by the Watchdog
Live team, who were able to walk out with a replacement Sim in almost every case
O2 says it did send out authorisation codes, but they were not received by the victims' smartphones
Vodafone said that it takes Sim swap fraud "extremely seriously" and that it is disappointed that two of its employees did not follow
established security check procedures, despite being given mandatory training, reinforced by regular reminders to the contrary
'A state of shock'Previously, in some countries, Sim swap scams were used by scammers to ring and text premium numbers to run up large
mobile phone bills.But now that more online services use two-factor authentication, which requires text messages to be sent to mobile
phones, there is more at risk
her mobile number without her knowing anything about it
"It was like a state of shock and my first thought was that there must be some sort of error," Olga told Watchdog
"I was just sobbing down the phone saying all my money's been stolen."Image copyrightNurPhotoInitially, Olga's bank refused to refund her
the money, blaming her for not keeping her details safe
But it eventually became clear that the fraudster had found a way in to her account after being given a replacement Sim card by EE
Watchdog's undercover visits found that staff in EE and Three stores always stuck to their security policies by demanding photo ID
How the scam worksSim swap scams occur when a criminal is able to convince a mobile operator to issue them with a replacement Sim card, by
claiming a false identity and pretending that their mobile phone has been either lost or stolen.Criminals are able to do this using people's
personal details that have been stolen using malware or cyber-attacks
Many of these details are then sold on the dark web.The victim's Sim card stops working and the criminal can then access any online service
that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone.Security researchers have long believed that UK crime gangs are behind
these scams, as the fraudsters manage to trick banks by logging onto mobile banking systems from locations close to the victim's home
In the past, this scam has been perpetrated by fraudsters calling the customer service call centres of mobile operators, as well as by
hackers using fake mobile base station equipment bought from the black market
While the scam has been in existence for at least three years - TheIndianSubcontinent Radio 4's You and Yours programme demonstrated that
they could attack bank accounts in 2016 - the number of cases of Sim swap fraud have rocketed by 60% since 2016.
