SIM Card Misuse | Delhi, Sept. 22: The Department of Telecommunications has warned mobile users against allowing others to use SIM cards registered in their names.
The DoT said fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of connections and manipulation of IMEI numbers can attract serious legal penalties.
Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, such violations can lead to imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
The warning applies to people who may have mobile connections issued using their identity documents without their knowledge. It also applies to those who knowingly give their registered SIM cards to others.
SIM Card Misuse | DoT Urges Users to Check SIM Cards
The DoT advised mobile users to regularly check all numbers linked to their identity documents.
Users can verify these connections through the Sanchar Saathi portal or mobile application.
The advisory followed a case detected during recent cybercrime investigations.
According to the DoT, a Point of Sale agent in Chhattisgarh allegedly activated 25 mobile connections using citizens’ identity documents without their knowledge or consent.
The DoT and telecom service providers subsequently blacklisted the agent and stopped it from issuing further SIM cards.
The department’s digital intelligence platform reviewed the 25 connections and identified suspicious numbers for further verification.
Following the review, the suspicious connections were deactivated.
The DoT said the case highlights the risks consumers face when mobile connections are obtained using their identity documents without their knowledge.
The department urged users to check their registered mobile connections and report any unfamiliar numbers linked to their identity.
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