AT&T Launches Account Lock to Combat SIM Swapping Scams

AT&T today said that customers can activate Wireless Account Lock, a new feature that will prevent unauthorized changes to a wireless account. With Account Lock turned on, account changes like billing updates and wireless number transfers are disabled.

Account Lock will protect AT&T users from SIM swapping, a technique that scammers employ to gain control of a smartphone user's phone number, and by extension, two-factor verification codes sent to that number. With SIM swapping, an attacker calls the carrier's support staff, pretends to be the smartphone user, and asks for a number transfer.

Postpaid AT&T customers can activate Wireless Account Lock from the myAT&T app. Locked features will not be accessible until the Wireless Account Lock is disabled in the app, requiring physical control for access. Here's what Account Lock prevents:

• Upgrading a device
• Changing a SIM card or eSIM
• Initiating a phone number transfer
• Adding a new line
• Changing billing information
• Changing authorized users
• Changing phone numbers

There are also account locking features for enterprise customers and prepaid AT&T users.

AT&T says that it will never call or text subscribers to ask them to turn off the Wireless Account Lock feature.