A concerning trend has emerged as criminals target employees of major telecom companies, including T-Mobile and Verizon, in a sophisticated SIM swap scam. Workers from both companies have reported receiving text messages offering financial incentives of $300 to assist in facilitating SIM swaps, a process wherein criminals reroute victims’ service to devices under their control.
Reports indicate that the scam specifically targets current and former mobile carrier employees who may possess access to the systems required to perform SIM swaps. The messages, originating from various numbers and claiming to be sourced from employee directories, attempt to lure recipients into illicit activities under the guise of lucrative financial rewards.
While initially thought to be limited to T-Mobile employees, Verizon workers have also reported receiving similar messages, indicating a coordinated effort to exploit vulnerabilities within the telecom industry. The emergence of this scam underscores the critical need for enhanced security measures and vigilance among telecom employees to safeguard against malicious exploitation.
Both T-Mobile and Verizon are actively investigating the incident, emphasizing that there has been no breach of their systems. However, the surge in SIM swap attacks poses significant risks, including unauthorized access to personal accounts, identity theft, and financial losses, necessitating swift action to combat this growing threat.