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A SIM swap attack moves your phone number onto a SIM or device the attacker controls. The attacker usually gets there by persuading your carrier to make the change, not by stealing your handset. Once the number is redirected, calls and texts meant for you can reach the attacker, including the one-time codes that banks, email providers, and social platforms send by SMS. The strongest defenses are on the carrier side: a PIN or lock on your cellular account and a verified way to reach your carrier. Your other accounts matter just as much, because a captured number is most dangerous when it is the only thing standing between an attacker and your email or money.
The guidance behind this article comes from U.S. agencies: the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the FBI and its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The carrier rules and reporting routes described here apply in the United States. If you live elsewhere, use your own carrier’s security pages and your national fraud-reporting body.
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How a SIM swap works
A SIM swap attack targets the process a carrier uses to connect a phone number to a SIM or device. The attacker does not need your phone. They need the carrier to activate another SIM against your number. The FTC describes this as social engineering of the provider. The FBI’s 2024 advisory adds that the request can be made through customer service or at a carrier retail store, and that insiders and phishing campaigns aimed at carrier staff or systems can also play a role.
Attackers typically rely on one or more of these approaches:
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- Impersonation. The caller poses as the customer and says the phone or SIM needs replacement, then asks for another SIM to be activated on the victim’s number.
- Social engineering of staff. The attacker pressures or deceives a representative into making the change.
- Insider access or phishing. Someone with access to carrier systems, or a staff member who is tricked into giving access, makes or enables the change.
- In-person requests. The request is made at a retail location instead of over the phone.
Not every victim’s number is moved through the same process, so do not assume one pattern. What the cases have in common is the end result: the number starts working on the attacker’s device.
What the attacker gets, and why it goes beyond phone service
Losing service is the visible symptom, but it is not the main risk. Once your calls and texts are redirected, the attacker receives whatever arrives at your number. That includes SMS login codes and password-reset codes. If an account uses text-based recovery, the attacker can use the same number to try to take over email, financial, social-media, or other accounts tied to it.
A number takeover does not by itself prove that any linked account was accessed. It does mean you should check those accounts promptly, because the attacker may have already started password resets before you noticed the phone went quiet.
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Warning signs
Treat any of the following as urgent:
- Sudden loss of calls, texts, and mobile data with no explanation.
- An unexpected notice from your provider that a SIM was activated on a new device.
- Unexpected account recovery messages, password-reset emails, or login alerts you did not trigger.
The FTC lists loss of service and the unfamiliar activation notice as possible signs. For unusual account activity, the FBI recommends reviewing account activity and unknown devices once you have regained access.
How large is the problem?
The FBI’s IC3 has published two sets of SIM swap figures. Both describe complaints that were reported to IC3 and adjusted losses. They are not a count of every attack, and they do not measure how many SIM swaps occur in total.
| Reporting period | Source | Complaints | Adjusted losses | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2018 to December 2020 | FBI IC3 | 320 | About $12 million | Reported complaints for this three-year window. Not a complete count of attacks or victims. |
| 2021 | FBI IC3 | 1,611 | More than $68 million | Reported complaints for that single year. Not a current annual trend. |
Protect your carrier account
Your carrier account is the front door to your number. Set controls there before worrying about anything else.
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Set a PIN or password on the cellular account
The FTC says an account PIN or password can help prevent unauthorized changes. Set one through your carrier’s account tools and make it different from passwords you use elsewhere. Do not share it with anyone who contacts you first.
Ask about SIM-change and port-out locks
Ask your carrier which of these protections it offers for your specific account:
- A SIM-change lock or account lock that blocks changes to the SIM.
- A number-port or port-out lock that blocks transfers of the number to another provider.
- Notifications when a SIM-change or port-out request is made.
- The option to disable or block SIM changes, call forwarding, and simultaneous ring.
The FCC’s December 2023 order adopted requirements for U.S. providers covering secure authentication, notifications about SIM-change and port-out requests, and an option for customers to lock their accounts against these changes. The FBI’s 2024 advisory recommends asking a provider to disable or block SIM changes, call forwarding, and simultaneous ring. Feature names, eligibility, and enrollment steps differ by carrier, and the sources do not establish a carrier-by-carrier list. Check your carrier’s current official account-security page for the exact labels and steps.
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Do not confuse a carrier PIN with a handset SIM PIN
A SIM PIN set on the phone locks the physical SIM card in the handset. A carrier account PIN or transfer lock is held by the carrier and governs account changes. They address different situations. The guidance supports carrier-side protections against number transfers; it does not support the idea that a handset SIM PIN stops a carrier from moving your number.
Verify every request before you act
- Never give a carrier password, PIN, or one-time code to an unsolicited caller, email, or text message.
- If someone says they represent your carrier or any other company, end the contact and call back using a number or website you have verified yourself.
- Limit public personal details, such as your date of birth, address, or family names, that could help someone answer security questions.
Protect the accounts linked to your number
Carrier controls reduce the chance of a takeover. Your account settings determine how much damage a takeover can do. The FTC’s plain-language warning is direct:
“If you do use MFA, keep in mind that text message verification may not stop a SIM card swap.”
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Source: FTC consumer guidance, “SIM Swap Scams: How to Protect Yourself,” dated October 23, 2019. The page does not name an individual author.
Choose a second factor that does not depend on SMS
Where a service offers more than one two-factor method, compare them before you choose:
| Method | Can a number takeover redirect it? | What it requires | Recovery if you lose the method |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS code | Yes. The FTC warns that text verification may not stop a SIM swap. | Working phone number | Depends on the service; check its recovery settings. |
| Authenticator app | The FTC states that an authenticator app’s code is not susceptible to this specific SIM-swap route. | A smartphone or device with the app installed | Not stated in the guidance; check the service’s recovery options before you enroll. |
| Hardware security key | The FTC describes it as a physical second-factor device. It does not stop carrier-side number changes. | A compatible key and a service that supports it | Not stated in the guidance; register a backup method where the service allows it. |
Security keys do not work on every service, so the choice depends on what each account supports.
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Start with your email account, because it can reset passwords for almost everything else. Then cover financial services, social accounts, and payment apps. Inspect recovery settings as well as sign-in settings. A strong second factor can be undone if the recovery route still sends a code to your number.
Use a unique password for each account
The FBI recommends unique passwords and warns against reusing them. A password reused on a compromised account lets an attacker try the same credentials elsewhere.
Quick Recap
If you suspect a SIM swap, act in this order
- Call your carrier through a verified channel. Use the number printed on your bill or the one on the carrier’s official website, not a number the attacker provided. Ask the carrier to restore control of your number, reverse unauthorized changes, and secure the account against further transfers.
- Secure your accounts from a device and connection you trust. Change passwords starting with email and important financial accounts. Switch to a non-SMS second factor wherever the service offers one.
- Contact your financial institutions. Flag suspicious access or transactions and ask them to review recent activity.
- Check linked accounts. Look for password changes, unfamiliar sessions, unknown devices, and changed recovery email addresses or phone numbers. Save screenshots or records of suspicious events before you clear them.
- Report the incident. The FBI recommends reporting to IC3 and to law enforcement. If sensitive identity information may be compromised, the FTC directs people to IdentityTheft.gov for recovery steps tailored to their situation.
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