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uk Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
you lose access to your financial accounts because your phone number was hijacked or SIM swapped

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Treat this as a fraud-and-access emergency. Contact your bank first using an official route, ask them to secure your accounts and use a non-SMS way to prove it is you, then contact your mobile network to regain control of your number.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t keep retrying logins or password resets; it can trigger lockouts and may create more alerts to a compromised number.
  • Don’t act on calls, texts, emails, or app messages from “your bank” or “your network” that contacted you first; end the contact and use details you find yourself.
  • Don’t rely on SMS codes while your number is unstable; assume texts and calls to that number may be seen by someone else.
  • Don’t move money “to safety” because someone told you to; only follow instructions after you have contacted your bank through an official route.
  • Don’t delete alerts, texts, emails, or call logs yet; dates, times, and reference numbers may help your bank, network, or police report.

What to do now

  1. Use a safer route before you contact anyone. If possible, use a different phone, a landline, or secure webchat from a trusted device. Find your bank’s real contact details from your card, statement, official app, or official website.
  2. Contact your bank or building society and ask them to secure access immediately. Say: “I’ve lost access because my phone number changed or may have been SIM swapped. Please secure my accounts now.” Ask what immediate controls they can apply, such as blocking new payees, pausing transfers, stopping online changes, or locking app access while they check the account.
  3. Ask for a non-SMS way to prove it is you. Ask for in-app approval, a card reader, secure messaging, phone security questions, or an in-branch identity check if available. If they say they can only send a code to the affected number, ask for the fraud or account-takeover team and say: “That number may be compromised.”
  4. Contact your mobile network and report a suspected SIM swap or port-out. Ask them to secure the mobile account, restore service to your SIM or account where possible, check whether a PAC was requested or used, and add stronger account security such as an account PIN or passphrase.
  5. Secure the reset points from a trusted device. As soon as you can, change the passwords for your email account, mobile network account, and then banking and finance accounts. Use strong, unique passwords and sign out of other sessions where the service offers it.
  6. Check for urgent account changes. Look for unfamiliar transactions, new payees, new devices, address changes, password reset emails, card changes, or overdraft and credit applications. Report anything unfamiliar to your bank straight away and ask for a reference number.
  7. Move important accounts away from SMS where possible. Use in-app approval, an authenticator app, a passkey, a security key, or another stronger option offered by the service.
  8. Report fraud or cyber crime after the immediate blocks are in place. If you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, use Report Fraud online or call 0300 123 2040. If you are in Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101 for non-emergencies, or 999 if there is an immediate emergency.

What can wait

  • You don’t need to work out exactly how it happened today; focus on stopping access and regaining control.
  • You don’t need a perfect timeline now; just note roughly when your phone lost service, when codes stopped arriving, and when you noticed banking issues.
  • You don’t need to close every account today unless your bank tells you to; start with blocks, recovery, and security changes.
  • You don’t need to decide immediately whether to change your number again; stabilise the accounts first.

Important reassurance

This is a known pattern of account takeover, and panic is understandable. Splitting it into two linked jobs, bank controls and phone-number control, can make the next steps more manageable.

Scope note

These are first steps to stop further loss and regain access. Later decisions, such as complaints, reimbursement questions, identity protection, or replacing a number, may need specialist help.

Important note

This guide provides general first-step information and is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, medical, therapeutic, or other professional advice. If you believe an immediate emergency is happening now, call 999.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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