Scammers have started stealing phone numbers of Russians in order to gain access to their online banking accounts and withdraw money. This information was reported to the newspaper “Izvestia” by F.A.S.T. – a Russian developer of technologies to combat cybercrime.
According to the company, the process of “hijacking” a number is carried out by substituting or restoring an eSIM – an embedded digital card that performs the functions of a traditional SIM card in modern smartphones. F.A.S.T. states that to capture a number using eSIM profiles, scammers need a smartphone that supports eSIM profiles, as well as a compromised victim’s account in the personal account of a telecommunications operator and/or a popular state service. Since the beginning of autumn 2023, analysts have recorded more than a hundred attempts to access customers’ personal accounts in online services of one financial organization.
This scheme, which appeared abroad more than a year ago, is already actively being used by criminals. Cybersecurity experts believe that such attempts will increase in Russia. With the development of digital card technology supported by an increasing number of smartphones, including inexpensive devices with low levels of security, subscribers need to actively protect their mobile numbers. F.A.S.T. also reported that it is possible to steal a person’s number in several ways, but there are always people at risk whose data has been compromised.
Criminals obtain login and password information and then contact the individual to lure out a two-factor authentication code. The new method of fraud using eSIM involves transferring the victim’s phone number to their own device with an eSIM. To do this, scammers submit a request to transfer the number from a physical card to an eSIM through the operator’s website or app. If this process is completed, the scammer gains control over the victim’s number, causing them to lose access to their SIM card. In such cases, it is recommended to immediately contact the operator and block the card in case of such an incident.