In the digital age, identity is our greatest asset. But what happens when our identity is being misused and we don’t even know it? Recently, a large scam involving the buying and selling of SIM cards on fake IDs has come to light. Recently, the Department of Telecommunications conducted Operation ‘FACE’ (Facial Authentication and Compliance Enforcement). Under this, it was revealed that 1.21 lakh SIM cards were issued on 880 suspicious faces. Among these, about 1 lakh SIMs in Madhya Pradesh were found active in the name of 700 people, and 21 thousand SIMs in Chhattisgarh were found active in the name of 180 people. Therefore, it is important to know whether there is also a fake SIM running in our name. Lets learn about fake SIM cards. Focus will be also on following points: Expert: Rahul Mishra, Cyber Security Advisor, Uttar Pradesh Police: Question- What is a fake SIM card? Answer- A fake SIM card is issued by wrongly or without permission using a person’s identity (such as Aadhaar, ID or face authentication).
Question- How are SIM cards issued without user consent? Answer- This happens due to negligence or fraud in the SIM issuance process. Question- What are fake SIMs used for? Answer- Fake SIM cards are usually used in activities where real identity needs to be hidden. This allows criminals to deceive and escape. See the uses of fake SIMs in the graphic below- Question- How dangerous can it be for a common person to have a fake SIM in their name? Answer- This can become a major threat to a person’s identity and security. There can be several risks. Such as- Question- What is the limit for taking SIMs on one ID? Answer- According to the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) rules, a person can take a maximum of 9 SIM cards on one ID. In Jammu-Kashmir, Assam and North-Eastern states, the limit is set at 6 SIMs. Question- How many SIMs are active in your name, how to find out? Answer- You can check online how many SIMs are active on your ID. For this, the government has provided a facility on the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ website. Understand the step-by-step process in the graphic below. Question- If fake SIMs are found in your name, what should you do immediately? Answer- First of all, don’t panic. Immediately go to the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ portal and report the suspicious number by going to ‘Not My Number’. See the complete process in the graphic- Question- What precautions should be taken while buying a SIM? Answer- Even a small negligence while buying a SIM can lead to a big fraud, so definitely take these precautions- Question- What should be done to avoid fake SIM card fraud? Answer- With a little caution and regular checking, you can protect yourself from such fraud to a great extent. See all safety tips in the graphic- Question- What should be done if there is suspicion of fraud from a fake SIM? Answer- In such a situation, it is necessary to take immediate action so that the damage can be prevented from increasing. For this, take these steps-
