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Telecom Department warns against fraudulent SIM issuance, telecom identity misuse and IMEI tampering; violations may attract up to three years’ imprisonment and ₹50 lakh fine
Pooja Srivastava
Anytime News Network
Amid growing concerns over cybercrime and the misuse of telecom resources, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a strong warning against fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers and tampering with IMEI numbers.
The warning follows recent action by the Madhya Pradesh Licensed Service Area of DoT in a cybercrime investigation. Officials found that a Point of Sale agent in Chhattisgarh had allegedly activated 25 mobile connections without the knowledge or consent of the individuals, using their identity documents.
The concerned Point of Sale agent was immediately blacklisted and barred from issuing mobile connections in the future. The 25 connections were examined through the Department’s Digital Intelligence Platform. Numbers found suspicious were subjected to re-verification, and connections that failed the verification process were deactivated.
The Department has reiterated that fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers and IMEI tampering are punishable offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Violations may attract imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹50 lakh.
Citizens have been advised not to sell, transfer, rent out, lend or hand over SIM cards issued in their names to other persons. Such connections can potentially be misused for cyber fraud or other unlawful activities, creating serious legal complications for the original subscriber.
People have also been warned against obtaining SIM cards through forged documents, using devices with tampered IMEI numbers or using applications, websites or other mechanisms designed to alter Calling Line Identification or other telecom identifiers.
The government has urged citizens to regularly check mobile connections registered in their names through the Sanchar Saathi portal and mobile application. The platform enables users to identify mobile numbers issued in their names and block numbers that are unknown, unnecessary or not legitimately associated with them.
Sanchar Saathi also provides a facility to verify the authenticity of a mobile handset through its IMEI details, including information such as the brand, model and manufacturer.
With mobile connectivity becoming an essential part of everyday digital life, the government’s message is clear: protecting your SIM, mobile identity and handset is an important part of protecting yourself from cybercrime.
