Most business owners assume that if their phone is working, their accounts are safe. Unfortunately, criminals have found ways to use your phone number against you without ever touching your device.
Imagine starting your day and noticing your phone suddenly shows “No Service.” Calls and text messages stop coming through, but everything else seems normal. It’s easy to assume it’s a temporary issue with your carrier.
In some cases, however, a criminal may have convinced your mobile provider to move your phone number to a different SIM card that they control. This type of attack is known as a SIM swap. Once they gain control of your phone number, they can receive the security codes that many websites and online services send by text message. That includes password reset codes, login verification codes, and account recovery messages. With those codes, they may be able to access important accounts such as email, banking platforms, and business applications.
The attack often starts with information that is already available online. Criminals may gather details from social media profiles, public records, or information exposed in previous data breaches. They then contact the mobile carrier and pretend to be the account owner. If they successfully pass the carrier’s verification process, your number can be transferred to their device in just a few minutes.
For business owners, this can be especially dangerous. Many critical accounts rely on a mobile phone number as a backup security method. If someone takes control of that number, they may be able to reset passwords and gain access to systems that contain sensitive business information.
It’s a good idea to move away from text message security codes whenever possible. Authenticator apps and passkeys provide stronger protection because they rely on your specific device instead of your phone number.
Another smart step is adding a PIN or passcode to your mobile carrier account. This creates an extra layer of security and makes it much harder for someone to impersonate you. Finally, pay attention to any email or text alerts from your carrier regarding account changes. If you receive a notification about a SIM card change or number transfer that you did not request, contact your carrier immediately.