The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a new rule for SMS (Short Message Service). Under the new rule the DoT has ordered the telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone-Idea to stop SMS facility (both incoming and outgoing) during the process of SIM exchange or upgrade. SMS services will be stopped for 24 hours after activation of new SIM cards. The department has given telecom service providers 15 days to implement the new rule.
According to the new rule, after receiving a request to change a SIM card or number, telecom operators will also have to send a notification of the request to the customers. The SIM card holder will have to further confirm the request through IVRS call. The authentication process will confirm that the request has been made from the authorized SIM card holder and not by any scammer. In case the customer rejects the SIM card upgrade request at any point, telecom operators have been asked to stop the SIM upgrade process immediately. The new guidelines have been implemented to reduce the risk of SIM switch scams and other related cybercrimes.
What is SIM swap fraud?
Mobile number has become an important identity number for customers to avail a variety of services, including banking. Security passcodes and data like transaction messages, One Time Passwords for financial transactions, NetSecure Code are all linked to our mobile number. We use these passcodes to initiate transactions, track bank transactions and even use mobile SMS as a mode of two-factor authentication while availing transaction services.
In order to get access to these OTP numbers, scammers try to get duplicate SIM cards with the same mobile number. They contact mobile operators on the pretext of lost SIM or convenience and take a new SIM card with the same number. Once the new SIM is activated, they get control over the victim’s mobile number and get access to all the confidential OTP numbers and messages. Thus, transferring money from the victim’s account to theirs.
With the new guidelines, now users will get the notification if there is a request for SIM change, making them alert for possible fraud.
