Teenagers tricked AT&T and T-Mobile without using code.
Looks like good conversation skills were all it took to be a top SIM swapper.
He excelled at deceiving staff into exchanging phone numbers and acquiring personal data to facilitate criminal activity.
He excelled at deceiving staff into exchanging phone numbers and acquiring personal data to facilitate criminal activity.
He excelled at deceiving staff into exchanging phone numbers and acquiring personal data to facilitate criminal activity.
The teenager was from a wealthy background. He found the adrenaline rush of SIM-swapping addictive, and his partners provided a sense of community for the socially awkward kid.
Noah was associated with Daniel Junk, who received a sentence last year for stealing cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars through SIM swapping. Both were part of a group called the Com, linked to Scattered Spider.
Com members targeted AT&T and T-Mobile call center employees considered "easiest-to-fool." They also recruited individuals to steal iPads from phone store employees.
Junk learned how to register his computer on the T-Mobile network and use software to access the SIM-activation tool. He remained logged in for extended periods, losing access only when T-Mobile intervened.
Noah was recruited by Junk to contact store staff and manipulate them into sharing login information. He posed as an IT employee, reciting a script written by Junk.
Eventually, Noah hired his own callers, paying them from $60 to $1,000 for successful logins, based on the security level of the breached company. Payments reached as high as $4,000 for installing remote-access tools.
By 2022, Noah had become a millionaire. His crimes evolved until one led to a house raid and his arrest in 2024.
Authorities seized approximately "$4 million in cryptocurrency, $100,000 in cash, and $100,000 worth of jewelry." The FBI had been monitoring him since 2021, identifying him as a "low-level participant in SIM-swapping."
Despite limited technical skills, law enforcement recognized him as a top swapper. Investigators noted his ability to persuade employees to swap phone numbers and obtain private information.
Noah faced charges for hacking 13 companies, including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. He pleaded guilty, and his lawyer argued that older co-conspirators influenced him, making SIM-swapping appear like a game. The lawyer emphasized that teenagers outsmarted large corporations like AT&T and T-Mobile.
...but there were Fortune 500 companies like AT&T and T-Mobile who were essentially tricked by a bunch of teenage kids.
...but there were Fortune 500 companies like AT&T and T-Mobile who were essentially tricked by a bunch of teenage kids.
Noah expressed remorse, but the judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
It is unknown whether Noah and Junk collaborated with the Canadian hacker and accomplice who defrauded T-Mobile customer Joseph "Josh" Jones of millions in crypto.
With increased law enforcement efforts against cybercriminals and enhanced carrier security, customers should not be overly concerned by recent reports.