Preventing SIM Swapping Scams with Mark Kreitzman

Easy Prey

AI search tools are being used by criminals to sort through data breaches and data dumps they’ve stolen to target as many individuals as possible. After your phone has been swapped, they’ll have the ability to access all your SMS messages and phone calls. But there are precautions you can take.

Today’s guest is Mark Kreitzman. Mark is a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience in building cybersecurity companies. Mark brings insights into evolving threats facing mobile security and data privacy. His expertise in our increasingly mobile world makes him a valuable resource in discussing how to mitigate your risks as it pertains to mobile communications.

Show Notes:

• [1:02] - Mark shares his background in cybersecurity and what he does now in his career.
• [2:08] - In 2017, Mark experienced a SIM swap scam.
• [5:30] - He used his anger and paranoia to help develop Efani, a cybersecurity focused mobile service.
• [8:51] - When you get SIM swapped and the carrier recognizes that you’ve been attacked, they go into liability protection mode.
• [11:16] - Mark shares some of the details of what happened in his experience and explains that he still doesn’t know if he was specifically targeted.
• [14:00] - Through fraud, scammers can actually become resellers.
• [17:27] - SIM swapping started as a way to target and harass celebrities.
• [20:52] - Once scammers have information, they can get into many different accounts because people tend to use the same passwords.
• [23:14] - Everybody’s information is floating out there. Data breaches give scammers and fraudsters access to so much.
• [24:19] - Mark describes what you will see on your phone from your end when a SIM swap scam has occurred.
• [28:42] - Efani is a mobile service provider. Mark explains how they are different.
• [31:28] - With a $5 million insurance policy, Efani does everything possible to protect it.
• [34:54] - Efani is extremely busy because there are so many cases of this problem.
• [37:07] - When you give a carrier your social security number to open an account, you are essentially opening a credit account.
• [39:58] - Unfortunately, many people don’t know about this type of scam. It is a silently growing trend.
• [42:08] - With Efani, mobile carriers are never given a customer’s information.
• [45:45] - Mark tends to live on the paranoid side after being a victim of this type of scam. He shares what he does when he travels.
• [49:05] - Using a VPN while traveling is a great idea to help protect yourself.
• [51:44] - Right now, Efani has a promo code you can use for your plan just for Easy Prey listeners: Efani.com/EasyPrey

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

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