A major case of fraud involving the activation of an eSIM recently surfaced from Noida (UP), where a woman lost more than Rs 27 lakh in an incident. Here is the whole story:
Noida woman loses Rs 27 lakh in eSIM fraud
A 44-year-old woman from Noida, who works in a private company, became the victim of a cybercrime. The woman, residing in Sector 82, reported that over Rs 27 lakh was stolen from her account. Following the fraud, she complained to the Noida Sector 36 Cybercrime Police Station. A case has been registered under sections 318 (4) and 319 (2) of the IT Act.
How did the fraud happen?
According to the woman's statement to the police (which was filed on August 31, 2024), she stated that she received a WhatsApp call from someone who claimed to be from the customer care of a telecom company. The fraudster convinced her about the benefits of switching her number to an eSIM. Believing it to be genuine (by mistake), the woman shared a verification code which was sent to her phone. After this, her mobile number was deactivated.
The next day, when the woman did not receive her eSIM, she contacted the official customer service of the telecom provider. There, she was advised to visit a nearby store to get a new SIM card. After receiving the new SIM, she noticed multiple messages on her number, revealing that more than Rs 27 lakh had been withdrawn from her account.
Avoid making this mistake: SIM swap fraud explained
- Certainly, she is not the only one who faced the situation and many people around the world are being victimised of the situation. This type of fraud is known as SIM Swap Fraud.
- Cybercriminals obtain a duplicate SIM for your mobile number, giving them access to your bank accounts and personal information.
- If you receive any suspicious call or message asking you to switch to an eSIM, ignore it immediately.
- Never Share OTPs or Passwords: Sharing these details allows cybercriminals to deactivate your existing SIM and activate a new one in their control.
- Protect your documents: Only share personal documents when necessary, and always mark the purpose of sharing on the document to prevent misuse.
Report suspicious activities on the Chakshu portal
If you encounter any suspicious calls, messages, or emails, report them to the government’s Chakshu portal.
This will enable the cybercriminals to come under agency surveillance, helping to prevent large-scale fraud.
By staying vigilant and cautious, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of such scams.
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