Identity Theft Alert: Criminals Make Fraudulent Purchases Worth 23 Million Pesos with Victim’s Credit Card

Criminals make fraudulent purchases worth 23 million pesos with victim’s credit card – credit iStock

In a recent case of identity theft by replacing a SIM card, Gilma Rivera, an 84-year-old adult, suffered the theft of large amounts of money during a vacation.

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Jimmy Arismendi, Rivera’s son-in-law, detected the fraud when trying to carry out a banking operation without success. The family quickly began the process of blocking accounts to mitigate the damage: “We saw that we did not have access to email or cell phone, we automatically thought it was a fraud and we began the process of blocking accounts,” said the victim’s relative. in Caracol News.

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The criminals managed to make fraudulent purchases for more than $20,000,000 using their Banco de Bogotá credit card. This fact not only affected Rivera, it also put former officials and security experts on alert, evidencing a worrying trend in the country. “’A couple of wallet purchases were made through my mother-in-law’s credit card in one of the banks, which is Banco de Bogotá. One of those transactions totaled close to $23,000,000,” Arismendi continued.

Apparently, the criminals managed to access the victim’s bank accounts and email by gaining control of his mobile number. This type of theft, known as number portability scam, also affected Hugo Acero, former Secretary of Security of Bogotá, who recounted his experience with attempts to extract funds from his personal accounts and credit cards.

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“They stole my number portability, they made several attempts to, having the portability, steal money from my accounts and even credit cards,” explained the former official for the media cited above.

Identity theft puts security experts and former officials in Colombia on alert – Credit iStock

From the banking sector, represented by Asobancaria and its director of operational and security management, Jaime Rincón, measures are being taken to counteract this growing threat. Asobancaria collaborates with telecommunications operators to exchange information on SIM changes, in a joint effort to reduce the incidence of this type of fraud in Colombia.

“We are working to ensure that this modality stops being prevalent in the country,” explained the executive. Coordination between banks and telephone operators is presented as a key strategy to protect consumers and prevent future financial security violations.

Identity theft through manipulation of SIM cards is a growing problem that affects many users, leaving them without mobile service or access to applications or the ability to make calls. Security and technology experts insist on the need to take immediate measures at the first anomaly in the cell phone signal. Blocking bank accounts and communicating with the mobile phone operator are essential steps to protect yourself against this type of fraud.

Meanwhile, Rincón emphasizes the importance of immediately contacting the bank, as well as filing a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office to give legal action to the incident. On the other hand, Andrés Nieto, a security expert at the Central University, points out a problem of coordination between the banking sector, telephone operators and the registration of SIM cards as one of the main obstacles to combating this form of identity theft. .

Asobancaria intensifies information exchange on SIM changes to combat scams – credit iStock

Nieto’s concerns center on the lack of control over the acquisition and registration of SIM cards, a loophole that allows criminals to act with relative impunity. He emphasizes that the renewal of these cards should not be limited to a simple phone call, but should include more robust verification methods.

It is worth mentioning that, to date, the Mobile Industry Association, Asomóvil, has not issued an official statement responding to these concerns, according to information collected by Noticias Caracol.

2024-02-25 00:34:30
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