How to prevent eSIM swaps?

PommePourMoi wrote:

Sorry, I'm not asking my question very clearly. Even though it's called "SIM swapping", it's rare that someone actually obtains your physical SIM card. What "SIM swapping" really means is that scammers have contacted your mobile phone carrier and have tricked them into activating a SIM card that the fraudsters have. Your own SIM card then no longer works.

From what I've read, this can happen with both physical SIM cards and eSIMs. So back to my question. For eSIMs, are there any other Apple protections that I can turn on to mitigate this risk?

Use all of the options your carrier has for securing your account. Most carriers allow to require that they ask for a passcode prior to giving you any information about your account when you talk to them over the phone.

PommePourMoi wrote:

Sorry, I'm not asking my question very clearly. Even though it's called "SIM swapping", it's rare that someone actually obtains your physical SIM card. What "SIM swapping" really means is that scammers have contacted your mobile phone carrier and have tricked them into activating a SIM card that the fraudsters have. Your own SIM card then no longer works.

From what I've read, this can happen with both physical SIM cards and eSIMs. So back to my question. For eSIMs, are there any other Apple protections that I can turn on to mitigate this risk?

SIMs are just means to identify you, and your plan, to a carrier's network. Apple doesn't control what cellular services your carrier provides. The carrier does. So if some lowlife scammer is able to trick your carrier into "swapping" your SIM, I doubt if there's anything that Apple or your iPhone can do about it. Any particular SIM (identifier) is only good for whatever services the carrier's servers say it is. (Modulo the requirement in some countries to allow Emergency police/fire/ambulance calls even when there is no contract with the carrier.)

The protection against that sort of fraud needs to be embedded within the business practices of your carrier, themselves. If it happens to you, you need to raise a loud fuss with the carrier – and hopefully they will realize their error, and do something to fix it.

PommePourMoi wrote:

My wife and I have iPhones purchased directly from the Apple Store. Both phones use eSIMs, not physical SIMs. Our carrier is T-Mobile.

I've heard about "locking your SIM", so I checked the T-Mobile site to see how to do it. Their site says "SIM protection does not cover eSIM transfers on Apple iPhones. Apple’s eSIM transfer process includes extensive security steps to protect iPhone customers."

So is there any further security that I can turn on to mitigate the risk of eSIM swaps?

risk of eSIM swap....(?) I don't get it.

you can read more to understand better—Lock your SIM card with a PIN (personal identification number) to

require an identification code for phone calls and cellular-data usage.

ref: Use a SIM PIN for your iPhone or iPad

Set up cellular service on iPhone Setup eSIM

Set up cellular service on iPhone - Apple Support

It's physical SIMs that pose a risk of swaps. As in, right after stealing your iPhone, the thief takes your physical SIM and puts it into another phone, to learn your phone number.

Then when you report the theft to your carrier and they transfer the number to a new phone, the thief has a number to use for sending "phishing" messages – messages aimed at tricking you into

• letting them into your iPhone,
• clearing Activation Lock (so they can "make your phone their own"), or
• giving them the information they need to clear Activation Lock (so they can "make your phone their own")