A Verizon billboard. | Image by Sommer Panage on X
For years, SIM swapping — the theft of a customer's number by a bad actor — has been the scourge of the wireless industry. While carrier-led protections have mitigated the problem, a recent incident involving a Verizon customer suggests the system is still full of holes.
30 minutes is all it took
A Verizon customer's number was stolen. | Image by Reddit user os583
Reddit user nos583 claims their Verizon account was compromised in a matter of minutes. Apparently, a scammer entered a Verizon store with a fake ID to transfer nos583's number to a SIM card in their possession. This illegal SIM swapping allows criminals to bypass two-factor authentication to gain access to a victim's financial and social media accounts.
While Verizon sent several messages in quick succession to confirm the SIM swap, nos583 wasn't able to deny the request promptly because their phone was on silent. After about 30 minutes, the transfer was finalized, and the user lost service. Shortly after, bank emails regarding username recovery requests began to flood in, signalling an attempt to drain their account.
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Though nos583 eventually reclaimed their number, they are disappointed about the ease with which someone with a fake ID can steal a customer's number.
Account controls
however, with the whole ID thing that’s relatively new and ONLY works if it’s the id of the account OWNER and you need two reps credentials to even do it,
buda342_, Reddit user, March 2026
nos583 didn't have the recommended security measures enabled, and their ID had been stolen, which made it easy for the criminal to hijack their number.
Verizon offers account safety measures, but they aren't enabled by default. | Image by Verizon
Verizon recommends that customers activate Number Lock and SIM Protection, both of which prevent someone from transferring a Verizon number until it is turned off. The SIM Protection feature cannot be turned off by retail and customer service representatives, effectively neutralizing attempts to trick or bribe employees for SIM swap attacks.
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We do our job in making sure the name matches the account. Every one forgets their pin that’s why there is this level of authenticity.
Practical_Low_1512, Reddit user, March 2026
nos583 has still questioned Verizon's accountability and the swiftness of the process, given that users cannot be expected to be by their devices around the clock to manually deny such requests.
The system is still broken
While safeguards exist, they aren't activated by default. Many customers remain unaware of these tools, leaving them vulnerable.
Verizon typically requests a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for number transfers, but criminals exploit a loophole which allows ID to be presented if a customer has forgotten their PIN.
Who should be held responsible for this SIM swap attack?
Who is at fault?
Whether the responsibility entirely falls on Verizon is debatable, but there are certain ways to improve the system. For one, Verizon should increase awareness of existing account controls. Secondly, number transfers should require a waiting period to ensure customers see the notifications. Lastly, no response from customers should be treated as a no, rather than an automatic yes.
SIM swapping has long been a problem not just for Verizon, but also AT&T and T-Mobile. And while the industry has come a long way, incidents like these are reminders that criminals are still lurking in a corner to prey on susceptible customers.
Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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