T-Mobile issues unsatisfying statement about employees receiving SIM swap offers
Yesterday we told you about several current and former T-Mobile employees who were approached via text to take part in one of the most nefarious actions that could be taken against a smartphone user, the SIM swap. One such text said, "I got your number from the T-Mo employee directory. I'm looking to pay someone $300 per each sim swap done, if you're interested, reply and we can talk."
The reason why these texts are so ominous is because it usually takes an insider working for a wireless firm to set up a SIM swap. A bribed employee working for a wireless provider can issue a new SIM card and deliver it to the bad actor. We've heard of incidents where a person walks into a carrier's retail location, requests a new SIM card, and receives it without the employee verifying the person's identity. That requires either an employee who doesn't care about his job or one who has been paid off.
A paid-off and bribed insider helps a thief use a SIM swap to financially wipe out a clueless victim
Another method involves the use of a paid-off wireless employee who changes the account address of a subscriber to an address that he has been given by the criminal. Using that address, a new SIM card is shipped out and once that delivery has been set up, the bribed employee returns the address to the original one.
If you ever get a text like this, contact your wireless provider immediately
No matter how the criminal gets the SIM card that is attached to the victim's phone number and wireless account, once it is received the thief inserts it into his burner phone giving him control over all of the victim's apps. Passcodes and passwords are changed, balances in banking and securities accounts are wiped out, and the damage to the victim's life is huge.
T-Mobile released a very unsatisfying statement about the texts showing current and former employees approached to take part in a SIM swap rip-off. The nation's second-largest carrier said, "We did not have a systems breach. We continue to investigate these messages that are being sent to solicit illegal activity. We understand other wireless providers have reported similar messages."
With T-Mobile employees complaining about pay, subscribers need to worry about being a SIM swap victim
The problem with this statement is the last sentence. While T-Mobile says that it will continue to investigate the text messages, the carrier feels compelled to point out that other wireless providers have reported similar messages. It's one thing to call the competition "Dumb and Dumber" because T-Mobile's own customers aren't getting hurt by that. But instead of giving some comforting words to its subscribers, T-Mobile simply wants to point out that current and former employees of other carriers might have also been enticed to take part in a crime.
And with several current and former T-Mobile employees complaining that they don't make enough money on upgrades and that they need to sell additional lines to subscribers to get a decent paycheck, it makes you wonder how many T-Mobile employees might jump at the opportunity to make an additional $300 per SIM swap. Back in January, a top T-Mobile rep said that he has seen more fraud at T-Mobile than anywhere else he has worked in the wireless business.
If you ever receive a text asking if you've changed your SIM card, or your phone loses connectivity all of a sudden, you need to call your carrier immediately to let the company know that you didn't request a new SIM card or an eSIM change. T-Mobile does offer SIM protection which is available to all T-Mobile Postpaid and T-Mobile for Business customers. With this feature, you can prevent SIM changes from taking place on individual lines or the whole account. Click on this link to visit the T-Mobile SIM protection website.
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