SIM swap or port-out fraud: my phone suddenly has no service, what do I do?

SIM swap or port-out fraud: my phone suddenly has no service, what do I do?

Your phone was working fine and suddenly it shows "No service" or "SOS only". Restarting doesn't help. Your partner's phone, on the same network, works perfectly. It might be an outage, but if it comes with strange texts or emails, it could be something more serious: someone may have taken control of your mobile number. In Australia this happens in two ways: a SIM swap, where a scammer convinces your carrier to issue a new SIM or eSIM for your number, or port-out fraud, where your number is moved to another carrier in their name. Either way, the texts your bank sends to verify transactions now go to them. Act within the hour.

How does it work?

1. They collect your details. Name, date of birth, address, sometimes driver licence or Medicare details, gathered from data breaches, phishing texts or social media.
2. They impersonate you to a carrier. They contact your carrier (or a store) claiming to have lost their phone, or ask another carrier to port your number to a new account. Australian carriers are required to carry out extra identity checks for these requests, often by sending you a code, so scammers also try to trick you into giving that code away.
3. Your number goes dead. Your SIM stops working because the number now lives on a new SIM in the scammer's hands.
4. They intercept your codes. With your number, they receive the one-time codes for your online banking, email, myGov and other accounts, reset passwords and move money.

What are the warning signs?

• Sudden loss of service with no explanation, while others nearby have signal.
• A text you didn't expect saying a SIM change or number port has been requested, or asking you to reply or share a code to approve a "port".
• Someone calls asking for a code "to confirm your account" or "to stop a port". Hang up: that code is what they need.
• Emails about password resets or new sign-ins you didn't make.
• Your bank alerts you to new payees or transfers you didn't make.

What do I do right now?

1. Contact your carrier immediately from another phone or through its website or app on Wi-Fi. Say you suspect a SIM swap or unauthorised port and ask them to block the number and the account. Use the contact details on the carrier's official website.
2. Call your bank on the number on your card or from its website, from another phone. Ask them to freeze online banking and check for new payees and transfers.
3. Change your email password first, from a trusted device, then your banking and other important accounts. Your email is usually the key to everything else.
4. Check other services that send you codes by text: myGov, PayPal, crypto exchanges, social media.
5. Contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160. They specialise in identity theft and can guide you through what else needs securing.

What if money has already been taken?

1. Tell your bank exactly what happened and when you lost service. That timeline matters for any claim.
2. Report it to police through ReportCyber, via the AFP's cybercrime page, and keep the reference number.
3. Ask your carrier for a written record of the SIM swap or port request.
4. Report it to Scamwatch too.
5. If your carrier or bank doesn't resolve it, you can complain to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) about the carrier, and to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) about the bank, after first complaining to each company.

How do I stop it happening again?

• Ask your carrier about extra security, such as a PIN or password on your account, and whether it offers port-out protection.
• Never share a code you receive about your phone account, a SIM change or a port. Your carrier will never ask you to read it out to a caller.
• Use an authenticator app instead of text codes wherever possible, especially for email.
• Turn on banking alerts for new payees and transfers.
• Limit the personal details you share online, and be suspicious of texts asking you to "update" your details.

Frequently asked questions

Could it just be an outage? Yes. Check your carrier's outage page or whether people nearby on the same network have service. But if you also get unexpected texts about a SIM change or port, or password reset emails, treat it as fraud.

Will I get my number back? In most cases, yes. Once your carrier confirms the fraud, it can return the number to you. The priority, though, is protecting your bank and email in the meantime.

I have an eSIM. Can this happen to me too? Yes. Scammers can request a new eSIM just as they can a physical SIM. The defences are the same.

What about WhatsApp? If the scammer controls your number, they could try to register your WhatsApp on their phone. Turn on WhatsApp two-step verification so a text code alone isn't enough. Our guides cover how to recover a stolen WhatsApp account.

In short

Sudden loss of service plus strange texts or emails can mean someone has hijacked your number. Call your carrier and bank from another phone, change your email password first and contact IDCARE. Never share a code about your phone account with anyone who calls. And if a number has called you asking for one, report it in the NoCall spam numbers directory.