USSD Fraud: How to protect your account with SIM lock
The aftermath of losing your mobile phone can be unsettling. You’re most likely too discombobulated to even figure out what to do next. Nowadays, since mobile phones carry sensitive information, including bank applications and more, it’s understandable when people’s immediate reaction to losing their devices is to freeze. If your financial information isn’t immediately at risk, then you have no reason to panic; if it is, then there’s a genuine cause for alarm.
While you’re still trying to recover from the shock of losing your phone, it’s crucial to ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my phone password easy to guess?
- Does OTP (one-time password) deliver to this specific mobile device?
- Is my SIM card protected with a SIM-lock?
This moment is crucial and will determine whether you’ll incur additional losses beyond the cost of replacing the stolen or missing phone.
One of the most important steps to take in the event of losing your phone is to ensure that you have taken good care to protect your devices by every means possible. This enables you to buy time and report the theft or loss to your bank and other relevant authorities before the thief strikes a devastating blow.
Currently, there are two popular ways to protect your phone from unauthorized access. You can use a strong password combination on your phone and on your bank app. However, as fraudsters get more sophisticated and trickier, they may swap the SIM card into another phone to gain access to key functions such as receiving OTPs from your bank and sending money through USSD. In this case, setting passwords on your phone is simply not enough.
For this reason, you should strongly consider setting up a SIM Card Lock on your SIM card. With a SIM Card Lock set up, you are guaranteed to reduce the losses you’d incur to just the cost of replacing your phone and retrieving your SIM card.
A SIM Card Lock is an additional layer of security that prevents your SIM card from receiving network signals unless the correct PIN is inserted. The PIN must be entered any time your phone is turned on, as well as when the SIM is inserted into a new phone. This prevents unauthorised users from using your SIM to make calls and other activities that require network usage.
How to Set Up a SIM Card Lock on Your Android Phone
Setting up a SIM Card Lock is easy and available on both Android and iOS (iPhone & iPad) devices. Follow the steps below to set up a SIM Lock on your Android device:
- Look at the back of your SIM pack for the default code provided by your network service provider. The default SIM card PIN for MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile is 0000.
- Go to “Settings” on your Android phone.
- Scroll down to “Security.”
- Then scroll to “SIM LOCK.”
- Toggle the switch on and insert your PIN.
Please note that these steps may vary slightly depending on what version of the Android OS your phone is using.
On iOS Devices:
- Go to “Settings” on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on “Mobile Service.”
- Toggle the switch on and insert your PIN.
Don’t forget to choose a strong password combination. It is not advisable to use your date of birth as a password. Also, avoid sharing your password with anyone.
If you forget your SIM PIN or need help with enabling the SIM Card Lock function, please contact your network service provider.
Click here to learn how we keep your account safe from attacks.
