Telecoms provider T-Mobile has become the latest corporate name to come under fire for its alleged negligence and failure to protect customer information, which indirectly enabled a “SIM swap attack” that led to the successful theft of $450,000, or 15 Bitcoin (BTC).
A SIM swap attack — also referred to as a port-out scam — has proved to be a popular tactic with criminals in recent years. Such an attack involves the theft of a victim’s cell phone number, which can then be used to hijack the victim’s online financial and social media accounts by intercepting automated messages or phone calls that are used for two-factor authentication security measures.
The lawsuit filed against T-Mobile on Feb. 8 in the Southern District of New York by plaintiff Calvin Cheng — the victim who alleges he lost $450,000 in Bitcoin following such an attack — explains exactly how it is that telecoms firms come to play such a crucial role in
