What’s worse than thieves hacking into your bank account? When they steal your phone number, too. Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein recently fell victim to a type of fraud known as port-out hijacking, also called SIM-swapping.

One Monday morning in May, I woke up and grabbed my cell phone to read the news and scroll through memes. But it was out of cell service. I couldn’t make calls or texts.

That, though, turned out to be the least of my problems.

Using my home Wi-Fi connection, I checked my email and discovered a notification that $20,000 was being transferred from my credit card to an unfamiliar Discover Bank account.

I thwarted that transfer and reported the cell phone issues, but my nightmare was just starting. Days later, someone managed to transfer $19,000 from my credit card to the same strange bank account.

I was the victim of a type of fraud known as port-out hijacking, also called SIM-swapping. It’s a less-common form of identity theft. New federal regulations aimed at preventing port-out hijacking are under review, but it’s not clear how far they will go in stopping the crime.

  • akakunai
    7·
    2 months ago

    I mistyped my PIN (yes PIN, you can have only a 4 or 6 digit number, not a real password) into my bank app too many times and had to reset it. I was prompted the secret question “what is the name of your childhood best friend?” This alone would have given me (or anyone) access to my bank account. I forgot what the answer was and had my account locked after a few attempts.

    How was I to prove my identity? Call the 1-800 number and the automated system asked for my account number or any credit/debit card number, the numbers in my postal code, my phone number, and my birthday. THAT’S IT. Account unlocked and was able to set a new password PIN. So many people know or can easily find out this information.

    I use very strong digital security everywhere that allows it, but of the hundreds of accounts I have, my bank is the least secure and does not allow any stronger security even if you want it!

        • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip
          1·
          2 months ago

          Primarily to buy groceries, and save. I would much rather hold my money outside of the fiat currencies. I have been thinking of getting some silver bars and i already have a few goldbacks.

            • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip
              2·
              2 months ago

              Coinsbee.com. Buy an Instacart gift card and load that on your account. Then buy your groceries with that and just go pick them up when they’re ready. I suppose technically that means that that bit of Monero flows back into the Fiat economy which sucks but I do put more than just my grocery money into it so some money always stays in Monero each month no matter what

              Edit: By buying it through the gift card service, I’m also signaling to the economy, at least in some small way, that I prefer Monero instead.