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Like most cellular users, you probably know that your phone needs a SIM card to connect to your chosen wireless carrier such as T-Mobile or AT&T. However, most cell phone customers don’t fully understand how a SIM card works or what information is found on this little piece of technology. If you use a cell phone, you need to understand how a SIM swap (also called SIM jacking) can occur and what to do if it happens to you.
Anyone can be a SIM swap victim. This crime is not limited to celebrities or wealthy Americans who are swindled out of millions of dollars or cryptocurrencies. Average citizens have also lost thousands of dollars to hackers who steal, sell, and misuse personal data for their own financial gain.
The stories are frustrating, scary, and downright heart-breaking. Mostly because the companies involved refuse to accept responsibility for protecting their customers. Or even worse, they blame the consumer for not adequately protecting their account.
At Schlanger Law Group we fight for victims of all forms of identity theft including cyber scams like SIM swapping. We are currently working with several SIM swap victims, and we stand ready to help consumers across the country who are facing similar situations.
After one of the biggest reported data breaches in August 2021, many T-Mobile customers received a letter admitting their PII was exposed to unauthorized and unknown people. In the data breach announcement, T-Mobile confessed that it, “didn’t live up to the expectations we have for ourselves to protect our customers” and, “[k]nowing that we failed to prevent this exposure is one of the hardest parts of this event.”
Unfortunately, this was not the first time, nor the last time, that T-Mobile’s system has been breached. According to an article by Vice.com, following a T-Mobile data breach in 2017, the hacker who broke through the security system boldly posted a tutorial on YouTube. In the video, he explained how other scammers could use the breach to steal customer information.
Sadly, although T-Mobile disclosed its data breaches, it is not taking responsibility for the subsequent nightmares faced by the customers whose PII was stolen. Instead, T-Mobile offered identity protection programs and told the customers to change their passwords and PINs.
After the cell service providers, financial institutions are the next targets of these fraudulent schemes. Banks, mobile payment apps, and credit card issuers have allowed SIM jackers to make large withdrawals from customers’ accounts that should have been flagged, delayed, and confirmed before the money left the accounts. Some of these companies have refused to reimburse the victim’s stolen money and may even blame the account holder for not protecting the account.
While consumers continue to lose thousands of dollars in SIM swap schemes, some wireless carriers and financial institutions are not following the laws and Federal Trade Commission guidelines that protect these innocent victims. When companies refuse to accept legal responsibility, an experienced consumer protection law firm can help.
With so many forms of identity theft, you should regularly monitor your financial accounts for unusual activities. We created this checklist of Seven Ways to Detect Identity Theft and 17 Steps to Reduce its Impact to address general forms of ID theft.
However, in SIM card hijacking cases, look for these specific warning signs that might occur when a scammer takes control of your SIM card:
If any of these problems arise, follow these six steps:
No one is immune to cyber scams. And SIM card jacking can happen to anyone. But if you are extremely careful with your personal information, you may reduce your chances of falling victim to consumer fraud scams. In general,
When you contact Schlanger Law Group’s team of identity theft attorneys, we will listen to your story and determine your legal options. We can explain whether you have the right to pursue your cell phone company, bank, credit card issuer, or other financial entity if they are not following the law.
Our consumer fraud lawyers have already initiated several SIM swap fraud cases, and we are currently accepting new clients in this emerging area of law. Because many wireless carriers include arbitration clauses in their customer contracts, we are prepared to bring arbitration cases on behalf of SIM-jacking victims in addition to filing lawsuits nationwide.
Identity theft and consumer fraud schemes are two of SLG’s core practice areas. Several SIM swap victims have already entrusted us to bring arbitration or litigation claims against wireless carriers and financial companies to address their financial losses and protect against future problems.
We regularly litigate against leading financial institutions, such as TD Bank, Citibank, Wells Fargo and others in cases regarding unauthorized bank account access. We are proud of the excellent outcomes we have achieved on behalf of victims..
Call (212) 500-6114 or click the button below to schedule your free case consultation today.
Reach out to Schlanger Law Group for a free consultation, and let’s discuss your case with no upfront fees.