How to protect your account from duplicate SIM card fraud?

• Fraudsters make duplicate SIM cards and steal victims' funds from bank accounts.
• Cryptocurrency usersalso under threat.
• For protection, we recommend using two-factor authentication using apps such as Google Authenticator.

Fraudsters have actively begun to use a new fraud scheme to gain access to the bank accounts of Russians. Cryptocurrency users may also be at risk.

"Hackers gain access to their victims' bank accounts by swapping their SIM card and steal funds.", RIA Novosti reports, citing information from the developer of anti-virus software ESET.

The essence of the fraud is as follows:

• Attackers find victims on social networks. As a rule, these are businessmen.
• They try by all means to find out the phone number of the interlocutor. This is often done with the help of an offer to transfer communication to some kind of messenger.
• Then the attackers turn to the operator with a request to get a duplicate SIM card.
• Having received a duplicate SIM card, scammers withdraw money from bank accounts. Gaining access to your personal account is done through recovery by phone number.

Banks cannot prevent such fraud in any way, because for them the owner of the SIM card is the owner of the bank account.

As for cryptocurrency users, they alsoin danger. In the West, fraud has long been practiced when an attacker gains access to a victim’s exchange account by replacing a SIM card. So, in 2020, an Irish resident was jailed for 3 years for stealing $2.5 million in bitcoins in a similar manner.

How to protect yourself from such fraud?

Regarding the theft of funds from bank accounts,experts advise issuing a virtual number in the mobile operator’s application and using it to link to financial services. It is important not to share this number with anyone. It is also recommended to activate PUSH notifications so that the code for restoring access is sent not as an SMS, but as a PUSH to the phone.

Cryptocurrency users should use GoogleAuthenticator or similar two-factor authentication apps. All financial transactions will be confirmed using a special code generated by the application.

We recommend using Google Authenticator tosecurity of your cryptocurrencies. Just be sure to save the key to set up Google Authenticator. If you suddenly lose your phone or it breaks, then without this key you will not be able to log into your account.

Where is it profitable and safe to buy bitcoin? TOP-5 exchanges

For a safe and convenient purchase of cryptocurrencies with a minimum commission, we have prepared a rating of the most reliable and popular cryptocurrency exchanges that support deposits and withdrawals of funds inrubles, hryvnias, dollars and euros.

The reliability of the site is primarily determinedtrading volume and number of users. By all key metrics, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world is Binance. Binance is also the most popular crypto exchange in Russia and the CIS, since it has the largest cash turnover and supports transfers in rubles from bank cardsVisa / MasterCardand payment systemsQIWI, Advcash, Payeer.

Especially for beginners, we have prepared a detailed guide: How to buy bitcoin on a crypto exchange for rubles?

Rating of cryptocurrency exchanges:

#	Exchange:	Website:	Rating:
1	Binance (Editor's Choice)	https://binance.com	9.7
2	Bybit	https://bybit.com	7.5
3	OKEx	https://okex.com	7.1
4	Exmo	https://exmo.me	6.9
5	Huobi	https://huobi.com	6.5

The criteria by which the rating is set in our rating of crypto-exchanges:

• Work reliability— stability of access to all functions of the platform, including uninterrupted trading, deposits and withdrawals of funds, as well as the duration of the market and daily trading volume.
• Commissions– the amount of commission for trading operations within the platform and withdrawal of assets.
• Feedback and support– we analyze user reviews and the quality of technical support.
• Convenience of the interface– we evaluate the functionality and intuitiveness of the interface, possible errors and failures when working with the exchange.
• Platform Features– availability of additional features — futures, options, staking, etc.
• final grade– the average number of points for all indicators determines the place in the ranking.

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