Scam Alert: Fraudsters Maybe Using Your ID to Get SIM Cards, Here's How to Be Safe
By obtaining the SIM card, scammers can get access to the entire digital space of a person -- intercepting banking OTPs to criminal misuse
Emerging top in the list of digital scams and frauds which includes 'digital arrests', OTP frauds, phishing, hacking and others is fraudsters using your identity to get SIM cards, which they use for many illegal purposes.
By obtaining the SIM card, scammers can get access to the entire digital space of a person -- intercepting banking OTPs to criminal misuse.
Despite being one of the scariest scams, many people are still unaware of the best shield against this scam introduced by the Government of India way back in 2023 -- "the Sanchar Saathi portal."
Launched in May 2023 by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Sanchar Saathi offers a suite of citizen-centric services via its web portal or mobile app, including the TAFCOP module, which enables users to check all SIM cards issued under their identity and report unauthorized ones.
This service helps you detect if scammers are using your identity to get a SIM card.
How to check:
In the website or mobile app opt for the “Know Your Mobile Connections” feature. Then simply enter your mobile number in the space provided.
After which, you'll receive an OTP.
Once you enter it you can view all the SIMs linked to your ID.
If you spot a suspicious connection, simple select “Not My Number” or “Not Required” to raise a disconnection request directly on-portal.
With this new scary scam on the rise, experts are advising to check the portal regularly to stay safe.
