A Mumbai woman lost ₹11 lakh due to an e-SIM swap scam. Understand how this new cyber fraud works, the warning signs, and crucial steps to protect your bank account from being emptied by scammers.
A woman from Mumbai lost ₹11 lakh from her bank account shortly after her mobile network was suddenly disconnected. This shocking incident was found to have been carried out through an e-SIM scam. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has warned the public about this.
e-SIM Scam: A New Threat
Usually, if our mobile network isn't working, we assume it's a technical glitch. However, cybercriminals use this as an opportunity to steal money. In this incident, the victim's mobile number was converted into an e-SIM by cybercriminals. Through this, the woman's mobile number came under the control of the criminals.
How Does the Scam Work?
The fraud gang will contact you pretending to be from the telecom company's customer service center. They will convince you by saying, 'You need to update your SIM card' or 'You need to switch to an e-SIM to fix network issues.' Using the personal details you provide, they will activate a new e-SIM in your name. The old SIM will then be deactivated.
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Bank Account Emptied
Once the new e-SIM is activated, all information, including bank OTPs, will go to the criminals' mobile. In this Mumbai incident, the criminals took control of the woman's mobile number, received the bank OTPs, and stole ₹11 lakh in a matter of minutes.
How to Stay Safe?
Telecom companies never call customers to ask them to update their SIM card. If you have a network problem, call customer care directly yourself or visit a nearby showroom. Do not trust such calls coming from regular 10-digit numbers, except for those starting with 1600 (banking) or 140 (marketing). If you have any suspicion, immediately report it to cybercrime by calling 1930.
