Couple on P&O cruise loses £25,000 to SIM swapping scam in Split, Croatia, with fraud later reversed and £75 goodwill payment issued

Summary

A couple, Stephen and Karen Ratchford, fell victim to a SIM swapping scam while onboard a P&O cruise in October 2024. Scammers transferred the couple’s phone numbers to new SIM cards, gaining access to their emails, banking information, and personal data. During a port call in Split, Croatia, the couple discovered they had lost access to their phone numbers. Scammers used their information to take out a £25,000 loan from HSBC Bank and incur a £150 mobile phone bill. P&O Cruises crew assisted the couple while they were onboard, but the cruise line was not involved in the scam. The fraud was later reversed, and the couple received a £75 goodwill payment from their mobile provider, iD Mobile.