Movistar fined COP1.36 billion over SIM swap failures in Colombia

TL;DR
Colombia’s telecommunications regulator fined Movistar COP1.36 billion after finding weaknesses in the operator’s SIM card replacement procedures that allegedly enabled fraud against customers.

Colombia’s telecommunications regulator fined Movistar COP1.36 billion (US$330,000) after an investigation found weaknesses in the operator’s SIM card replacement procedures that allegedly enabled fraud against customers.

The case concerns SIM swap security. A SIM swap happens when a mobile operator replaces a customer’s SIM card and transfers the customer’s number to the new SIM. If controls are weak, fraudsters can use the process to take over a victim’s phone number and intercept calls or text messages.

The reported penalty applies in Colombia and names Movistar as the operator under investigation. The source states that the regulator linked the fine to failures in SIM card replacement procedures, but it does not provide further detail on the specific controls involved or the number of affected customers.

Related questions

• What fine did Colombia’s regulator impose on Movistar?
• Why was Movistar fined in Colombia?
• What is a SIM swap and how can weak replacement procedures enable fraud?