Protecting your financial phone number from fraud

Scams with the use of duplicate SIM card to access a bank account have recently become widespread. Following some simple safety tips can help you protect your financial phone number and save money on your card account.

A financial phone number is a phone number linked to one or more of your bank accounts. It is used to receive news about the flow of funds, balance and verification codes to confirm payments.

Why is it important to protect this number?

If a scammer has a SIM card of your financial phone number, he/she will be able to easily access your bank account.

How to protect a financial phone number?

Subscribers with prepaid mobile phone plans that have not gone through an additional identification process with their mobile carrier are the most vulnerable.

First, to prevent scammers from taking possession of your SIM card, you should undergo additional identification by your mobile carrier (provide your passport details or switch to a contractual service plan).

Second, set a ban on remote SIM card replacement or verify that the mobile carrier does not have the ability to remotely replace it.

Third, do not provide the following information about your number to third parties:

• account code word;
• PUK code;
• SIM card serial number;
• phone numbers of persons from your contact list;
• SMS codes that come to your phone number.

This information may be used by scammers to gain access to your SIM card.

If your number stops answering, notify your bank immediately and block the cards. Then contact your mobile carrier to block the phone number and reissue the SIM card.

If the mobile carrier confirms that an attempt has been made to steal your SIM card or the bank identifies attempts to withdraw money from your accounts, you should transmit this information to the Cyber Police.