SIM-Swap Fraudster Who Spent Stolen Crypto on Gold Grills and Dubai Trips Jailed
Summary
Ajay Shinjin, 25, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to helping steal nearly £200,000 in cryptocurrency through SIM-swap fraud. Criminals hijacked victims’ phone numbers to intercept security codes; Shinjin was linked to four devices used in the scheme and received more than £44,000, which he spent on luxury travel, housing and gold teeth grills. Police traced the fraud after BT detected unauthorized SIM transfers in 2021. UK reports of SIM-swap fraud rose 402% in the first half of 2026 year over year. Security experts recommend app-based two-factor authentication and carrier account protections instead of SMS codes.
