Yes, the Change Healthcare hack just got worse. Here’s what you need to know. Plus, X charges a $1 fee to post, a foodie side hustle saves a guy $40K, and beware of scary SIM swapping scams.
3 ways to fight SIM-swapping - Follow this cybersecurity checklist to protect yourself
Every cybersecurity threat has the potential to snowball into an avalanche of issues — but some are more dangerous from the jump. Experts say you should watch out for impending cyberattacks, thanks to the Russia-Ukraine war. SIM swapping is an especially dire threat since it takes over your smartphone, rendering it useless.
Basically, a cybercriminal scrapes personal data, either from your social media accounts or from a security breach. Tap or click here to see if your info is floating around on the web. They use that information to call your phone carrier, pretend to be you and claim your phone is lost.
The carrier then provides a new phone and SIM card, disconnecting your old line and transferring everything to the criminal’s device. This means your phone will stop working; you won’t get any calls or texts. SIM swapping is a huge issue, which is why you should use these three preventative strategies.
1. Enter a passcode when you change your SIM card
If you’ve never been a victim of SIM swapping, you should do two things. First, count your lucky stars. Second, call up your phone provider and set up a PIN, so you never become a victim.
Here’s a quick review if you’ve never heard of SIM swapping. Scammers break into your phone by transferring the data on your SIM card onto one of their own. They do this by calling your mobile provider, pretending to be you, and linking your phone number to the SIM card in their phone.
Your mobile carrier then deactivates your SIM card. That means the criminal gets access to your phone number.
This access allows criminals to send forgotten passwords or account recovery requests to your email and other online accounts associated with your mobile phone number.
Now the crooks will receive 2FA codes intended for you, which gives them access to your online accounts. The criminal uses the codes to log in and reset passwords, gaining control of online accounts associated with your phone profile.
You may think, “My mobile carrier would never fall for that!” Actually, it happens all the time, according to the FBI. The bureau says SIM swapping schemes cost victims more than $68 million in 2021.
How to set up a PIN or passcode for your wireless account
To protect yourself, contact your mobile carrier or head to its website. Make sure to set up a PIN or passcode that you have to enter to make changes to your SIM card. Now, criminals will have to know this PIN to break into your device.
7 ways someone can hack your phone
Any American without a mobile device is in the minority. Only 3% of Americans don’t own a cellphone, the Pew Research Center says. Mobile devices play a central role in our daily tasks, as conduits for alarms, messaging, navigation and even grocery shopping.