The Orillia OPP are warning the public of a new scam in the area.
The Orillia OPP have been made aware of the Port Authentication scam. This scam is also known as a SIM swap scam, Port-out scam or a SIMjacking. The suspect will call your cell phone service provider and request to change your phone number to a different service provider. Depending on your verification or authentication method with your service provider they may only need to know your name, email address, and your postal code. They then transfer the account to a different service provider, accessing your SIM card information. With this they take over the account and your actual phone.
The scammers would then be able access you PayPal account, changing you passwords to your personal email and make purchases on your credit cards. This all happens in matter of minutes. The suspect does not require you to do anything. The victim does not allow them access in any way, the service provider provides them with the information needed.
You can protect yourself by calling your service provider and asking for a higher level of authentication. Do your research and educate yourself and family members who may not be technology-savvy.
If you are the victim of a fraud and have lost money please contact the Orillia OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If you are contacted by phone and have not lost any money or have a question regarding mass marketing frauds such as phone calls or emails requesting personal information; the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is an excellent resource and can be contacted at 1-888-495-8501 or www.antifraudcentre.ca.
I don’t think this would happen with Bell, I was having trouble tranferring my SIM card to a new phone and I called and asked if they could just set up the new SIM card over the phone and they said any changes like that had to made in person with ID.