Stay safe › Scams
SIM swap and eSIM fraud
Your phone suddenly loses signal. Someone has moved your number to their SIM and is reading your bank OTPs.
How it works
Your mobile number is the key to your bank: OTPs and alerts come to it. In a SIM swap, a fraudster gets a new SIM or eSIM issued for your number, using forged documents or by tricking you into approving it. Your own SIM goes dead, and every OTP now goes to them. They reset your banking passwords and empty your account, often at night or over a weekend.
Real cases
In June 2026, Business Today reported that a 27-year-old in Bengaluru lost about ₹7.2 lakh after his number was moved to a SIM controlled by fraudsters. He never got a suspicious call or link. In August 2026, Delhi Police said they had arrested two men who posed as telecom staff, offered people an eSIM “upgrade” and took over their numbers. One victim lost about ₹40 lakh, and the case was linked to 124 complaints on the national cybercrime portal.
The first hour matters
Loss of signal for no reason is your warning. Call your operator and your bank from another phone, then 1930. The sooner the money is reported, the better the chance of stopping it.
If it has already happened
- Call your mobile operator from another phone at once and ask them to block the SIM. Visit their store with ID to get your number back.
- Call your bank to freeze your accounts and cards, and change your net banking and email passwords.
- Call 1930 straight away. Quick reports have helped police freeze stolen money.
Protect yourself
- Never share an OTP or code with anyone offering a SIM upgrade or eSIM. Change your SIM only at the operator's own store or app.
- Set a SIM PIN on your phone (not 0000 or 1234).
- Use an authenticator app instead of SMS OTPs for email and other important accounts where you can.
Say it simply
If your phone loses network for no reason, call the operator from another phone. Don't wait till morning.
No real phone company calls to upgrade your SIM and asks for an OTP. Hang up.
Where to report
- Cybercrime helpline 1930Money has been taken or a payment was tricked out of you. Call at once: the sooner, the better the chance of freezing it.Call 1930
- Your bank, directlyBlock your card or UPI, and report the transaction. Use the number on your card or the bank's official app, never one from a message.Number on your card
- National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalFile a complaint about any cyber fraud, harassment, sextortion or morphed images.cybercrime.gov.in
- Chakshu, on Sanchar SaathiReport a suspected fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp message, even if you lost nothing.sancharsaathi.gov.in
Learn more
Strong passwords, PINs and 2FA
Why a password built from public information is no lock at all, and how passphrases, password managers and two-factor authentication keep accounts safe.
Real banks never ask for your OTP
How fake KYC messages and "bank manager" calls trick people into sharing OTPs, the red flags to spot, and where to report in India.