Recently, a new case of fraud has come to light in the name of eSIM upgrade. A doctor from South Mumbai was defrauded of about 11 lakh rupees. The fraudster, posing as a representative of a telecom company, convinced the doctor to upgrade from a physical SIM to an eSIM. The scammer took an OTP from the doctor for this and extorted 10.5 lakh rupees from their account. Police have arrested an accused from Pune in this case, who had rented out his bank account to cyber fraudsters, while the search for the main mastermind is ongoing. Nowadays, many people activate eSIMs on their mobile phones. In such a situation, a little carelessness or lack of awareness can make them victims of cyber fraud. Question – What is an eSIM and how does it work? Answer – eSIM stands for ‘embedded Subscriber Identity Module’. It is a digital SIM card that is pre-installed in a mobile or device. There is no need to remove or insert it like a physical SIM card. When you activate an eSIM from a telecom company (like Jio, Airtel, Vi, etc.), they send a QR code or activation code. Scanning this downloads the network profile to the mobile. This profile saves all the company’s information (like number, network settings, data plan) in the mobile. With the help of an eSIM, you can keep multiple numbers on the same phone and switch between them as needed. If the mobile is stolen or the SIM is lost, it can be easily locked or transferred. Question- How is fraud committed in the name of e-SIM upgrade? Answer- In recent times, various types of fraud in the name of e-SIM have rapidly increased. Cyber criminals try to gain control over people’s mobile numbers by deceiving them under the pretext of e-SIM conversion or activation. Understand this from the graphic below- Question- How did the scam happen with the doctor? Answer- Understand the whole matter step-by-step. Question – How to verify an e-SIM request call to determine if it is legitimate or a scam? Answer- If you receive a call from an unknown number for an e-SIM upgrade or activation, first consider whether you yourself had made such a request. Telecom companies do not call customers; instead, you have to send a request for this through their app or website. If you are asked to share an OTP, QR code, or link on any call, understand that it is a scam. To confirm a legitimate call, call the company’s official customer care number yourself or check through their app. Never give out your personal information in a hurry or under pressure. Question- What are the steps in the genuine e-SIM upgrade process? Answer- eSIM is not for all phones. For this, the device must be eSIM-compatible. Additionally, the EID (Embedded Identity Document) number is required for this entire process. To check this, you can dial *#06#. Your registered email ID must be linked to your mobile number because the QR code for activation will be sent there. Additionally, a Wi-Fi connection is necessary to download the eSIM profile in the final activation process. Understand the complete process from the graphic given below- Question- What are the ways to avoid eSIM scams? Answer- To avoid scams, do not trust any unknown calls, links, or QR codes. Always upgrade your e-SIM only through your telecom operator’s official site or app. Also, keep a few other things in mind. Understand this from the graphic below- Question- What are the signs of potential fraud? Which signs should make one cautious? Answer- Scammers usually want to gain sensitive information from users by gaining their trust. They might call posing as company or bank officials. Additionally, there are some other signs of fraud. Understand this from the graphic below- Question- What to do if you accidentally click on a suspicious link or share an OTP? Answer- Immediately call your mobile operator’s (Airtel/Jio/Vi etc.) customer care representative and get your SIM/e-SIM blocked. Change the passwords of all important accounts (bank, email, social media) and change two-step verification (2FA). Question- Who should I complain to if e-SIM fraud occurs? Answer- File a report at the nearest police station and lodge a complaint with the Cyber Cell or the National Cyber Crime Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in). If possible, save logs or messages on your device. These can later serve as evidence. Question- What are the essential steps to keep phone, bank account, or UPI details secure? Answer- Always use strong passwords and two-step verification (2FA) for this. Keep your bank or payment apps locked and avoid making transactions over public Wi-Fi. Never share OTP or PIN through any call, link, or app, and update your passwords regularly. Question- Are telecom companies currently providing the facility to convert physical SIMs to e-SIMs? How safe is it to do so? Answer- Yes, if this facility is available on your phone, using it is completely safe. Provided that the e-SIM conversion process should only be done through the official website, app, or store.
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