DoT warns against illegal procurement and tampering of SIM cards

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has warned against the misuse of telecom resources, including the illegal procurement and tampering of SIM cards, SMS headers, and other telecom identifiers.

As such cyber security incidents rise, the DoT seeks to educate the public about the legal consequences of such offences under the Telecommunication Act, 2023.

Authorities have observed instances where the SIM cards are procured using fake documents or acquired legally and then handed over to third parties who misuse them for cyber fraud. In such cases, even the original SIM owner becomes legally accountable.

There have also been cases where telecom identifiers such as Calling Line Identity (CLI), IP addresses, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, and SMS headers have been tampered with using mobile applications and other tools to facilitate fraudulent activities.

The Telecommunication Act, 2023 describes the following:

• Section 42 (3) (c): Prohibits tampering with telecommunication identifiers.
• Section 42 (3) (e): Criminalises obtaining SIM cards and telecom identifiers through fraud, cheating, or impersonation.
• Section 42 (6): Prescribes the same penalties for those abetting such offenses.
• Section 42 (7): Declares these offenses as cognizable and non-bailable, superseding provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

Violators face imprisonment up to three years, fines up to ₹50 lakh, or both.

An investigation by DoT has also revealed that in some cases, Point of Sale (PoS) have facilitated illegal procurement of SIM cards, effectively abetting criminal activities. The DoT has intensified its scrutiny of PoS entities to prevent their involvement in fraudulent transactions.

In October last year, DoT rolled out a two-tier system to block international spam calls. The first involved the telecom service providers (TSPs) while the second tier involves a centralised system to monitor the incoming calls.

DoT’s International Incoming Spoofed Call Prevention System detected around 13.5 million international incoming calls with tampered Indian phone numbers. The calls were detected and promptly blocked.

In the News: NBA and NASCAR X accounts hacked, promote fake crypto coin scam