FCC Enforces Stronger Rules to Protect Customers Against SIM Swapping Attacks
Nov 17, 2023
Fraud Prevention / Mobile Security
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is adopting new rules that aim to protect consumers from cell phone account scams that make it possible for malicious actors to orchestrate SIM-swapping attacks and port-out fraud. "The rules will help protect consumers from scammers who target data and personal information by covertly swapping SIM cards to a new device or porting phone numbers to a new carrier without ever gaining physical control of a consumer's phone," FCC said this week. While SIM swapping refers to transferring a user's account to a SIM card controlled by the scammer by convincing the victim's wireless carrier, port-out fraud occurs when the bad actor, posing as the victim, transfers their phone number from one service provider to another without their knowledge. The new rules, first proposed in July 2023 , mandate wireless providers to adopt secure methods of authenticating a customer before redirecting a customer's phone number to...
