Foreign nationals nabbed for alleged illegal sale of pre-registered SIM

MANILA, Philippines — Two foreign nationals were arrested by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) for allegedly engaging in the illegal sale of pre-registered SIM cards.

Two Chinese nationals were arrested by the PNP-CIDG for attempting to sell pre-registered SIMs in a mall in Pasay City on January 9.

Authorities confiscated a total of 4,000 SIM cards, including 1,700 Globe SIMs and 2,300 TM SIMs, suspected to be used for criminal activities such as online phishing, romance scams and mobile phone fraud.

Section 11 of the SIM Registration Act, prohibits the sale or purchase of pre-registered SIM cards. 

This law imposes penalties for such violations, including imprisonment for a period of six months to six years and/or fines ranging from P100,000 to P300,000.

In a statement, Globe’s lawyer, Froilan Castelo, commended the PNP-CIDG for its operation against fraudsters and highlighted the success of the SIM Registration Act in curbing scams.

“We laud the PNP-CIDG for carrying out this operation, which led to a significant win against fraudsters. Let this successful police operation serve as proof that the SIM Registration Act is working, and that it is a powerful tool against scammers,” he said. 

According to Globe, customers should only register their SIMs under their names, with exceptions for minor children or other dependents. 

The telecommunication firm also advised against registering SIMs for others in exchange for payment and warned against purchasing SIMs with tampered packaging, as these may be previously used. 

“Always ensure that SIMs are sealed and purchased from legitimate retailers,” Globe’s statement read. 

Previous operations

This is not the first time authorities have apprehended individuals in Pasay City over the sale of pre-registered SIM cards.

In November last year, authorities raided a sim card scam hub in Pasay City where five Chinese nationals and two Filipinos were arrested.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) last month also revealed that Pre-Registered SIMs are for sale even on social media such as Facebook Marketplace.

In a forum, PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said that pre-registered SIM cards are sold for P500 each. — with reports from the STAR/Mark Villeza