SIM cards on sale, most likely linked to scams — senator
MANILA, Philippines — Putting registered SIM cards on sale is “most likely” linked to scams and other crimes, a senator said on Thursday.
After the SIM registration period ended on Wednesday, unregistered SIMs have been deactivated, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) announced on Tuesday.
Users with deactivated sims are barred from communicating with others through call or text. They also lose access to e-wallets and other SIM-linked mobile applications.
Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. warned the public that the purchasing and selling of registered SIM cards are likely those involved in scams. This is to avoid being traced, he said.
According to the SIM Registration Act, the act of selling or transferring registered SIM cards without complying with the law warrants a penalty of imprisonment of six months to six years and/or a fine of P100,000 to 300,000.
The Junk SIM Registration Network also worries that SIM-based crimes will increase after the SIM registration deadline. In the first half of 2023, police data shower SIM-based crimes rise to 4,104.
Reports also found that online scammers offer money in exchange for registered SIMs under an individual’s identity.
Revilla said this puts the public at risk of facing a legal case should a SIM card under one’s name be used for criminal purposes.
“Selling the SIM card cannot be used as justification for their non-involvement in a crime,” he said in Filipino.
The National Bureau of Investigation reported that some registered SIM cards cost P500, about 10 times an unregistered SIM.
Both sellers and buyers of registered SIMs will be held accountable for the crime committed with the SIMs, the senator added.
The DICT has recorded around 105 million registered SIM cards as of Sunday, wherein 49 million are from Smart, 48 million from Globe and seven million from DITO. —Intern, Dominique Nicole Flores
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