Telecom support chats have become a vulnerable entry point for attackers aiming to carry out SIM swapping scams, where control of a victim’s phone number is transferred to the attacker. These scams exploit weaknesses in customer support processes, using social engineering to manipulate telecom employees into granting unauthorized access.

 
• Social Engineering Telecom Support: Attackers initiate a support chat with telecom providers, pretending to be the victim. By providing basic information—often obtained through phishing or data breaches—they convince the support agent to approve changes to the victim’s account, such as transferring the phone number to a new SIM card controlled by the attacker.
   
• Exploiting Weak Authentication Methods: Many telecom support systems rely on easily accessible personal information, like dates of birth or answers to security questions, to verify identity. Attackers leverage this weak authentication to bypass security protocols and request SIM swaps, effectively taking over the victim’s phone number.
   
• Hijacking Phone-Based 2FA: Once attackers gain control of the victim’s phone number through a SIM swap, they intercept phone-based two-factor authentication (2FA) codes sent via SMS or phone calls. This allows them to access sensitive accounts such as email, banking, or cryptocurrency wallets, which use SMS 2FA for security.
   
• Manipulating Support Agents Through Urgency: Attackers often create a sense of urgency during telecom support chats by claiming that their phone has been lost or stolen. They pressure support agents to expedite the SIM swap process without following strict verification procedures, which increases the likelihood of the scam succeeding.
   
• Targeting High-Value Individuals: SIM swapping scams often target individuals with high-value assets, such as cryptocurrency investors, executives, or influencers, as gaining control of their phone number opens up access to financial and social media accounts. These attackers use support chats to carry out these scams discreetly and efficiently.
   
• Simultaneous Phishing and SIM Swapping: In some cases, attackers may combine phishing with SIM swapping, where they first phish for login credentials via email or fake websites and then initiate a SIM swap to intercept any 2FA codes needed to complete their account takeover. Telecom support chats serve as a vital step in this multi-layered attack.
   
• Using Pretexting to Gain Trust: Attackers often use pretexting to appear legitimate during telecom support chats. They may claim to be traveling, experiencing a phone outage, or dealing with an emergency, pushing support agents to trust their story and grant access to the victim’s phone number without proper verification.
   
• Challenging Recovery for Victims: Once a SIM swap is completed, victims face significant challenges in regaining control of their phone number. Telecom providers often have slow processes for reversing SIM swaps, and in the meantime, attackers can drain financial accounts or take over critical services linked to the phone number.
   
• Disrupting Personal and Business Operations: A successful SIM swap can have immediate and severe consequences, disrupting both personal and business operations. Victims may lose access to critical communication channels, such as email or social media accounts, and attackers may leverage this control to perpetrate further fraud.
   
• Exploiting Customer Support Vulnerabilities: Many telecom providers have streamlined customer support processes for efficiency, but this can leave gaps in security. Attackers exploit these vulnerabilities, using polite yet persistent tactics in support chats to bypass verification protocols and execute SIM swaps.

Telecom support chats are increasingly becoming a gateway for SIM swapping scams, as attackers exploit customer service processes and social engineering tactics to take over victims’ phone numbers. This allows them to bypass SMS-based 2FA and access sensitive accounts, often with devastating financial and personal consequences.