# SIM swap scam: how it works and what to do ยท Bipe The scammer moves your number to their own SIM, with a forged document or help inside the carrier. Your phone loses signal, and SMS codes start going to them. **The SIM swap scam: your number moves to the scammer's phone** Also called: SIM swap, line hijack. ## How it works 1. The scammer gathers your data and asks for a SIM swap or a port of your number. 2. Your phone stops making calls and getting SMS, off Wi-Fi. 3. With your number, they get the codes and sign in to accounts that use SMS. ## How to spot it - The phone loses signal out of nowhere. - A notice of a SIM swap or port arrives that you did not ask for. - Friends get messages from you that you did not send. ## What to do - Contact your carrier at once, through the official channel. - File a complaint with Anatel and a police report. - Tell your bank and change the passwords of accounts that use SMS. ## How Bipe helps Each item shows where it stands on iPhone and Android. - [No SMS codes](https://bipe.chat/en/features/no-sms-codes/) (iPhone: In the test app; Android: In development): Bipe has no SMS code anyone could ask for. Whoever takes your SIM card does not get your account. - [New phone, same account](https://bipe.chat/en/features/new-phone/) (iPhone: Coming soon; Android: Coming soon): Got a new phone or lost yours? There is more than one way back into your account, and none goes through an SMS code. **What Bipe does not solve here:** Bipe does not use SMS, so a SIM swap changes nothing in your Bipe account. But Bipe does not protect your other accounts. Bipe only protects the chats that happen in Bipe. If someone in the family still uses another app, a scammer can write to them there. ## Who describes this scam - [Golpes atuais mais comuns](https://www.gov.br/anatel/pt-br/assuntos/dicas-contra-fraudes/golpes-atuais-mais-comuns) (Anatel) ## Other common scams - [Fake relative](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-relative-scam/) - [Taken number or account](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/cloned-number-scam/) - [Fake bank call centre](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-bank-call-scam/) - [Pix and fake boleto](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/pix-scam/) - [Fake shop](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-shop-scam/) - [Threats with your data](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/threat-scam/) - [Fake acquaintance](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-acquaintance-scam/) - ["I sent you a code by mistake"](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/code-by-mistake-scam/) - [Romance scam](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/romance-scam/) - [Fake lawyer](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-lawyer-scam/) - [Fake government body](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-government-scam/) - [Fake delivery fee](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-delivery-fee-scam/) - [Fake job and task scam](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/task-job-scam/) - [Fake support](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-support-scam/) - [Fake second-hand sale](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-seller-scam/) - [Fake buyer and fake receipt](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-receipt-scam/) - [Fake rental](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-rental-scam/) - [Wrong Pix](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/wrong-pix-scam/) - [Fake boleto](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-boleto-scam/) - [Fake loan](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-loan-scam/) - [Fake investment](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-investment-scam/) - [Betting and "tigrinho"](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/betting-scam/) - [Fake link](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-link-scam/) - [Phantom hand and fake app](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/remote-access-scam/) - [Fake kidnapping](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-kidnapping-scam/) - [Sextortion](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/sextortion-scam/) - [Group chat scam](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/group-chat-scam/) - [Fake fundraiser](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-charity-scam/) - [Scams in Brazil in numbers](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/) ## Where these numbers come from Researched on 13 October 2026. We only use numbers that have a source. Surveys by a company or a private association are marked as such. - [Golpes atuais mais comuns](https://www.gov.br/anatel/pt-br/assuntos/dicas-contra-fraudes/golpes-atuais-mais-comuns) (Anatel, 2026-04-30) ## Download - Install on iPhone: https://testflight.apple.com/join/k3ycEfzk (Test version, through Apple TestFlight.) - Download for Android: https://bipe.chat/baixar/android/bipe.apk (Test version. Download the file and open it on your phone. Android asks you to allow the install. Notifications do not work yet.) An experiment by Envisioning: https://envisioning.com ## Source code - iPhone app: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-ios - Android app: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-android - App rules and text: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-shared - Invites and @ directory: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-api - This site: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-web - Colours and styles: https://github.com/bipe-chat/compound-design-tokens - On-device scam model: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-ml - Business bridge and inbox: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-business