Anybody who makes use of the O2 community should be on excessive alert and be careful for a worrying new textual content message. The UK community says it has been made conscious of a stunning new rip-off that implies clients’ SIM playing cards are about to turn into inactive. To make issues worse, the message not solely says it is “necessary” however seems to have come from an official O2 quantity, making it more durable to identify.
The message reads, “O2UK: IMPORTANT: Your SIM Card(s) will probably be inactive on 04/06/2026, as a result of you may have NOT signed our Phrases and Circumstances. Logon to signal.”
A hyperlink is included, and people fooled are taken to a pretend web site the place their private information is stolen. Fraudsters can then take over MyO2 accounts and use passwords to try to hack different accounts.
In the event you get a message from O2 saying your SIM is expiring, don’t click on any hyperlinks. As an alternative, log in to your account on the official web page or name the community to examine the state of affairs.
“Scammers have gotten extra subtle, utilizing more and more plausible and pressing requests to focus on victims alongside convincing pretend web sites, demonstrating simply how intelligent their techniques might be, stated Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2.
“At Virgin Media O2, we’re doing all we are able to to assist Brits swerve the scammers, from blocking rip-off texts and malicious web sites to rolling out enhanced fraud monitoring on on-line accounts. Each report back to 7726 helps us act quicker to close down scams at supply, so we’re urging everybody to play their half and ahead suspicious messages.”
The assistance its customers O2 has additionally outlined some new recommendation to maintain folks protected.
Firstly O2 says it’s not contacting any clients through textual content asking them to signal up to date Phrases and Circumstances or face their SIM being deactivated – messages like this are a rip-off.
The community additionally says be cautious of threatening or pressing language designed to strain you into appearing rapidly.
Anybody who receives messages from a quantity they don’t recognise must be cautious, because it may very well be a rip-off. On many widespread smartphones, real messages from O2 will seem underneath a verified ‘O2’ contact somewhat than a normal cellular quantity.
It additionally sensible by no means to click on a hyperlink in an surprising message. As an alternative, go on to the MyO2 app or name 202 on an O2 gadget to examine if what you’re being requested to do is legit
Lastly, for those who suppose you might have clicked on a suspicious hyperlink and entered your login particulars, change your password instantly.
