Identity Thieves Using SIM Cards to Obtain Personal Data and Access Bank Accounts

A Las Vegas woman fell victim to a relatively new scam used by sophisticated identity thieves. The scam, known as “SIM swapping,” occurs where thieves obtain your personal information then call your cell phone provider claiming to be you. The crook then requests a new SIM card from your provider and uses it to access your personal cell phone information.
 
According to the Federal Trade Commission, thousands of US consumers, including those living here in Las Vegas and Henderson, have fallen victim to this scam. These victims suffered the loss of their personal information and unauthorized access to their bank and credit accounts.
 
To protect against this scam, Las Vegas consumers should set up a PIN with their cellular provider to be used before any changes to the account can be made. If you fall victim this (or any other) identity theft scam, you should contact a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer who can often represent you for no out-of-pocket expense.
 
Source: https://www.ktnv.com/news/be-warned-identity-thieves-can-hijack-your-phones-and-drain-your-bank-accounts