Securing an account against unauthorised SIM Swap / Number porting

[Tazuk]

I've seen a number of friends and family fall victim to this type of attack, most recently today where a family member lost access after a malicious third party was able to order an eSIM connected to their account.

What security does O2 offer customers to add additional authentication to their account to mitigate this?

I see no related options in `My O2` and nothing documented on the help pages.

[Bambino]

@Tazuk This is not O2. This is a customer community.

If you think you’ve been the victim of fraud – whether it’s because you’ve given details to someone over the phone, or clicked on a link in a suspicious text or email there are things you can do:
Contact your bank if you think you may have given out financial information. They can help protect your account and stop transactions.
Change your account and online account passwords. Not just your O2 account. All of them.
Forward fraudulent texts to O2 for free on 7726.
Contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Call your Virgin Media or O2 customer services number if you think somebody’s taken out a contract using your details.
Virgin Media customers can phone 150 from their landline or 0345 454 1111 from any other phone.
O2 customers can call 202 from their O2 phone or 0344 809 0202 from any other phone.

You can block the number that called you, or any number you think may be suspicious.

How to block a number:

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00062352/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

There are also these links to look at:

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/phishing-and-smishing-advice
https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/unwanted-calls-and-messages
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

You can also reach O2 via social media:
Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB), Twitter (now X) (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW), or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG)

[Tazuk]

Hi @Bambino 

I'm fully aware of that thank you - I was hoping for some guidance from other customers as to possible options that are not publicised by O2 since there is no other information available.

I appreciate the links but I haven't been affected by this type of attack. I'm looking to prevent it - which I assumed my initial post made clear

[jonsie]

O2 don't offer anything above the two factor text sent to your phone

Help yourself by setting up 2FA and the obvious pin and biometrics security offered by the phone and banking apps

An interesting article here

8 Simple Steps To Prevent SIM Swap Fraud (forbes.com)

[Enlli]

O2 eSIMs can only be got in one of two ways.

1. Ringing O2 and passing security. The eSIM will be delivered to the customers MyO2 App and installed from there.

2. Physically going into an O2 store with photo ID and the phone

[Bambino]

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@Tazuk wrote:

Hi @Bambino 

I'm fully aware of that thank you - I was hoping for some guidance from other customers as to possible options that are not publicised by O2 since there is no other information available.

I appreciate the links but I haven't been affected by this type of attack. I'm looking to prevent it - which I assumed my initial post made clear

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@Tazuk Your initial post didn't make it clear.

You said "What security does O2 offer customers to add additional authentication to their account to mitigate this?"

As far as I'm aware, the links in my post above cover all that O2 offers regarding security. I see that several others have also contributed advice.

You may not have personally been affected by any attack, but maybe you can pass on the links posted to anyone you know who has, or anyone you know who you think may be vulnerable.

[Oxonian]

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@jonsie wrote:

O2 don't offer anything above the two factor text sent to your phone

Help yourself by setting up 2FA and the obvious pin and biometrics security offered by the phone and banking apps

An interesting article here

8 Simple Steps To Prevent SIM Swap Fraud (forbes.com)

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That is a very informative article @jonsie, thanks for sharing ! 👍