In a new scam, criminals steal users' phone numbers and gain access to their accounts. Find out more!
You’ve probably heard about the “portability scam” in recent months. Many people, including influencers, are reporting a wave of cases of this scam, which can be carried out by the country’s main operators.
The scam aims to bypass two-step authentication systems via SMS. Using leaked data, such as name, CPF, cell phone number and others, criminals can contact the operators' customer service, requesting the portability of the person's number, taking possession of it.
Have you ever heard of this type of scam? Learn how to protect yourself!
Portability scam
After gaining possession of the victim's number, criminals gain access to calls, SMS, WhatsApp and Instagram. Usually, the victim only realizes it when it is too late, when they see that the cell phone signal is dead and they can no longer make calls or use the cell phone's mobile networks. The fraud can also be detected via email, with notifications of password changes, account logins or loss of access to apps and social networks. When requesting portability, it is not possible to block the request.
Once they gain access to accounts, criminals impersonate victims to commit scams. main scams They are aimed at selling fake objects, asking for money loans and promoting fake investments that promise great financial returns.
How to protect yourself
To protect yourself from this type of scam, it is important to be aware of the signs to ensure the security of your device. Check for messages that may indicate that procedures have been performed that you did not request, as well as unknown charges on your bill, increased data usage and other factors that may indicate something is wrong with your account.
If you receive an SMS message telling you about a portability request, do not confirm the service and contact your carrier to find out more details about the matter. Also be aware of calls on behalf of carriers and avoid providing data or making payments, always seeking official means of support.
It is also important to use two-step authentication methods. Instead of SMS, use authentication apps or notification verification on the device, preventing your codes from falling into the hands of criminals in cases of cloning or theft.
If you realize that you have been a victim of fraud, contact your operator, which should block the number and return it to the user. It is also ideal to file a police report, so that the authorities are aware of the case and can punish the criminals involved in the scam.
Anatel
Recently, a member of YouTuber Felipe Neto's team had his number stolen through a portability scam. The criminal impersonated him on social media and was promoting fake investments on the victim's Instagram stories. In response to the situation, Felipe Neto took to social media to report what had happened. In response to the YouTuber, Anatel reported that the fight against fraud in the digital environment is daily and new measures are necessary.
In April of this year, Anatel changed the procedures for carrying out portability, due to the number of frauds. With the change, the customer who requests portability will receive a message on the device's screen and an SMS to confirm the change of operator. The change has already reached several states, but will be completed this Monday (28).
According to Anatel, operators are required to adopt measures to prevent and end the occurrence of fraud involving services.
