How To Know If My Sim Card Is Hacked? 5 Warning Signs Of Mobile Fraud
Can someone hack my phone to listen to my calls? Can hackers read my messages? Is it possible to hack someone’s phone and track his location?-This is a question many people ask us nowadays. It’s reasonable that people are concerned about this as we use our smartphones to store and exchange a lot of confidential and valuable information. So, the last thing we want is to listen in on everything we say and read everything we receive and send.
In 2016, personal banking security was trending on the news. Most recently, Tesco Bank had a compromise that resulted in 9,000 customers losing money from their accounts. Also, during International Fraud Awareness Week, a mobile banking specialist shared his top five warning indicators for SIM Swap fraud. So, let’s find out the warning signs on how to know if my sim card is hacked.
What Are The Top 5 Signs That Your Sim Card Is Hacked?
SIM swapping is when an attacker uses social engineering techniques to fool your phone service provider into switching your number to a new SIM card. On the other hand, SIM cloning is when a hacker gains physical access to your SIM card and then copies it onto a new SIM card owned by the hacker. Both these procedures can be the reason behind your hacked sim card, so let’s find out the warning signs on how to know if my sim card is hacked.
Phishing Messages
SIM Swap fraud means the hacker gains access to the victim’s bank account information. These are frequently achieved via an email phishing assault, unsolicited contacts requesting details, or online purchasing information from online criminal organizations.
You should never react to these sorts of solicitations or provide your bank information on any platform where someone else may view it. But, of course, your bank would never ask for this information, so don’t be duped by imposters. So, if you get these messages, it means you have already fallen victim to Simcard hacking.
Logged Out Of Your Accounts
A security mechanism known as two-factor verification is used by many accounts. Even if a hacker knows your username and password, this feature stops them from gaining access to your account. This works by sending you a unique code through text message to authenticate your login.
The issue is that if a hacker has been able to clone or hijack your SIM card, they can now acquire that security code and utilize it to gain access to accounts they didn’t have before. So, how to know if my sim card is hacked? If you are logged out of all your accounts, it means a sim hacker has got hold of you.
You Won’t Receive Calls
You won’t receive any further messages or phone calls if someone has already hacked your SIM card. They may also persuade your network provider to move your phone number to a new SIM that the hackers use. At any given moment, a phone number can only be paired with one SIM card.
So, How to know if my sim card is hacked? You can simply test this by having a friend text or call you. Now, if the text or call does not go through, you know you have an issue. But, if you still receive calls or messages, that means the sim card hackers have not yet reached you.
Mystery Apps
How to know if my sim card is hacked? Well, hackers employ links on your phone that contain application packages that, when installed, provide the individuals behind the virus administrator access to the victim’s device. So, if you find applications you didn’t download or calls, texts, and emails you didn’t send appearing on your phone that means someone is using your sim card.
So, can a sim card be hacked? The answer is yes. The hackers might be using your smartphone to transmit premium rate calls or texts. On the contrary, they could be spreading malware to your contacts, and if you want to know how to check if your sim card is cloned, you can start checking these mystery apps.
Performance Issues
How to know if my sim card is hacked? There are a few ways to check that. Is your smartphone running slower? Are the online sites and apps taking longer to load? Does your battery never seem to charge? All of these are indications that you have spyware running in the background, draining your device’s battery.
You might have installed malicious software or clicked on a harmful link in a text message. Malware may place a burden on your phone’s battery, causing the phone to heat up even when you’re not using it. It means you are using a hacked sim card, and you should get rid of it as soon as possible.
Why Would Someone Want To Hack Your Sim Card?
How to check if my sim card is cloned? We have already answered this question. But do you know why someone would want to hack your SIM card? Let’s look at the reasons;
- A hacked sim card would allow the hacker to access your sensitive online accounts, such as online banking, that would otherwise be safeguarded.
- A sim hacker could hack your sim for various purposes, such as spying on your conversations and interactions with others.
- Someone who has hacked another person’s SIM will receive their incoming messages and calls. They can also use their number to send outgoing texts and calls. It means the hacker wants to pose as you to obtain access to your private accounts or even fool the people in your contacts.
- Simcard hacking is frequently used by hackers to target people who have a high designation in a company or have a certain degree of income.
How To Secure Your SIM Card?
If you have figured out how to know if your sim card is hacked, you will also know if your phone is hacked. The warning signs will vary between these two incidents, so we suggest you be cautious always. There are a few steps you can follow to secure your SIM card, such as;
Install Security Software
Nowadays, your phone has just as much data as your PC. Use complete mobile security software that not only safeguards you from internet dangers but also includes anti-theft and data confidentiality to safeguard your important personal information. You can use this same process if you want to fix a hacked Android phone too.
Lock Your Phone
When you’re not using your smartphone, make sure it’s locked with a passcode or face ID. This makes it harder for an outsider to access your information if you lose your phone. Also, keep in mind that you should not preserve passwords or login information for banking applications or other vital accounts on your phone. If a hacker gains access to your device, you wouldn’t want them to log in as you instantly.
Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in hotels and airports, are often insecure. This makes it possible for a hacker to view the data you’re transmitting over the network. Moreover, avoid utilizing public charging points unless you use a “charging only” cable that cannot access your data.
Turn Off Phone Visibility
While there are numerous hazards online, you must also be wary of real-world threats, such as someone taking your device when you are not looking. While out in public, keep your smartphone close to you. Turn off the “phone visibility” setting if you have one. This setup allows adjacent devices to see and exchange information with your phone.
FAQs
How to know if my sim card is hacked? We have included a lot of warning signs here that will help you figure out if your sim card is hacked. But, we include a few other questions too to guide you better in this process;
Ans: Many people know how to hack someone’s phone without touching it. Your phone battery may decrease significantly in a small amount of time; it may lack performance and cause huge data usage. If you see outgoing messages or calls that you did not send, that also means your mobile is hacked.
Ans: Of course, a sim card can be hacked. Some hackers use the sim swapping method, and some may use the sim cloning method to hack your sim card. If it happens, you will witness the same signs like performance decrease, phishing emails, and logging out of the account that you did when your phone was hacked.
Ans: You can use the call redirection code of USSD Code *#62* to check if your phone is hacked or not. This is a standard method, and so it may not always work effectively. Hackers often use this method to hijack others’ phones or sim cards.
Conclusion
This article has given all the probable answers to the ‘How to know if my sim card is hacked?’ question. We have also provided you with solutions to secure your sim card. So, you can follow them because they are tried-and-true solutions. If you want to know more about them, you can always ping us in the comment section.
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