Following a recent cyberattack on Orange Belgium, telecom regulator BIPT has announced a new precautionary measure to reduce the risk of SIM card fraud.
The cyberattack, which occurred at the end of July, exposed the accounts of some 850,000 Orange customers, including sensitive data such as SIM card numbers and PUK codes.
The breach has heightened the risk of SIM card fraud, prompting BIPT and Orange to introduce additional safeguards. Customers requesting a phone number transfer will now receive a verification text message. If the request is unauthorised, users can block the process by replying “STOP” within eight hours.
The verification SMS will read: “Orange info: Hello, we have received a request to transfer your mobile number to another provider. If you did not request this, reply STOP within 8 hours to cancel the request. Otherwise, you can ignore this message.”
Personal customers will receive the message from number 5000, while business customers will receive it from 5995.
This new measure was agreed upon during consultations between BIPT, Orange, and other telecom operators. “Introducing an extra precautionary step is a useful safeguard,” a BIPT spokesperson stated.
SIM card fraud occurs when fraudsters exploit customer data to impersonate a legitimate user. They request the victim’s phone number to be transferred to a SIM card they control. Once in possession of the number, the scammer can intercept verification codes sent via text to access online accounts, emails, social media profiles, and even payment systems.
The new measure aims to strengthen customer protection and limit opportunities for fraudulent activity. Customers are urged to remain vigilant and respond immediately to suspicious activity involving their mobile accounts.
