{
  "id": 6783939,
  "title": "AT&T store worker gets 16 months inside for SIM-swap side hustle",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/at-t-store-worker-gets-16-months-inside-for-sim-swap-side-hustle-6783939",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-11T15:16:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/cyber-crime/2026/09/11/att-store-worker-gets-16-months-inside-for-sim-swap-side-hustle/5295898"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kenneth Carter, a former AT&T retail worker, has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for his involvement in a SIM-swap scheme that targeted customers' phone numbers. Carter, 44, used his access to AT&T's systems to assist in hijacking customers' phone numbers, allowing criminals to intercept authentication codes and steal funds from victims' bank accounts. The scheme, which ran from May 2018 to November 2019, resulted in nearly $600,000 in intended losses, with three victims suffering the greatest impact. Carter worked with at least three other co-conspirators, who would impersonate victims at the store to have the numbers transferred to flip phones under their control. Once the swap was complete, the criminals could intercept SMS-based 2FA codes and password reset messages, allowing them to take over victims' bank accounts and steal funds. Carter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, admitting to participating in three SIM swap attacks. Despite claiming it was a one-off mistake, federal prosecutors were unsympathetic to his plea, emphasizing his role as instrumental to the scheme and his failure to demonstrate awareness of the criminal nature of his actions.",
  "summary": "Phone shop staffer claimed he was paid less than $4k for in his part attacks leading to combined intended losses of $600,000",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "AT&T store worker gets 16 months inside for SIM-swap side hustle",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/at-t-store-worker-gets-16-months-inside-for-sim-swap-side-hustle",
        "published": "2026-09-11T15:16:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}