Combating mobile phone fraud: Thoroughly addressing the issue of unregistered SIM cards.

Junk SIM cards are still rampant.

Although the Ministry of Information and Communications and mobile network operators have tightened management of prepaid mobile subscribers and strictly prohibited the sale of pre-activated SIM cards (junk SIMs), in reality, in many localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, the buying and selling of junk SIMs still takes place openly.

Surveys conducted at numerous mobile phone stores and SIM card shops in Ho Chi Minh City show that for just 70,000 to 200,000 VND, it's possible to purchase a pre-activated SIM card without providing any identification documents.

At a phone store on Nguyen Kiem Street, Go Vap District, when a reporter inquired about buying a SIM card, the seller displayed a list of hundreds of phone numbers from major network providers such as VinaPhone, MobiFone , and Viettel for the reporter to choose from, most of which were already activated.

Specifically, a VinaPhone SIM costs 160,000 VND and offers free calls and 4G data for one month; a Vietnamobile SIM costs only 70,000 VND, offers free calls and 10GB of data per day, valid for one month; a Vietel SIM costs 150,000 VND and offers free calls and high-speed internet access for one month…

"The SIM card is already activated; just insert it into the phone and use it. No identification documents are needed for registration. However, if you want to transfer the subscription to your name for long-term use, you should go to the official dealers of the network provider to complete the transfer procedure," the shop owner advised.

According to Mr. Thanh Quan, a SIM card shop owner on Ba Thang Hai Street, District 10, the price of disposable SIM cards depends on the prefix and the network provider's promotional offers. Currently, his shop sells Viettel SIM cards for 160,000 VND, VinaPhone for 120,000 VND, MobiFone for 170,000 VND… and they can be used immediately after being inserted into a phone.

Similarly, at some SIM card shops in Tan Binh District, District 3, Binh Thanh District, etc., the buying and selling of unregistered SIM cards remains widespread and open. In addition, the trade of unregistered SIM cards on social media and e-commerce platforms is equally active, with some even being marketed to users through spam messages.

Clearer responsibilities when standardizing subscriber information.

According to Mr. Vu Minh Hieu, Head of Cybersecurity Department - BKAV Group: “With current forms of online fraud, including the use of disposable SIM cards combined with applications such as Viber, Zalo, or Messenger… collectively known as OTT applications, malicious actors can upload fake images or information to these applications to gain the trust of victims. Therefore, saying that disposable SIM cards are a “platform” to help malicious actors carry out phishing attacks via social media is not wrong.”

According to Mr. Hieu, it's also important to be aware of virtual phone numbers. These are phone numbers not linked to any physical location or device and are often used to facilitate communication between different devices, such as computers and phones. Because of the convenience of virtual numbers and the difficulty in managing them, they are exploited by malicious actors. Currently, many websites provide virtual phone numbers for registration and receiving OTP codes to activate OTT applications with a few simple steps, which can then be used to carry out illicit activities.

"After March 31st, a large number of subscribers whose information has not been standardized will be blocked, so people need to be extremely vigilant and pay attention to the risk of 'subscriber blocking' scams to lure them into other scams," warned Mr. Vu Ngoc Son, Director of Technology at the Vietnam National Cyber ​​Security Technology Company (NSC).

It's easy to buy pre-activated SIM cards at stores. Photo: BUI TUAN

Regarding the issue of dealing with unregistered SIM cards, Mr. Nguyen Phong Nha, Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Department (Ministry of Information and Communications), stated that it is impossible to prohibit individuals from owning multiple SIM cards, as some individuals and organizations need many phone numbers for business purposes, customer service, or for use with IoT devices. To limit the misuse of SIM cards, the law stipulates that individuals wishing to register four or more SIM cards, or businesses needing large quantities of SIM cards, must enter into a standard contract with the provider. One of the key tasks for the telecommunications industry in 2023 is to direct mobile operators to thoroughly address the issue of SIM cards with incorrect information or those not registered in the owner's name, while simultaneously raising public and business awareness about the risks of using unregistered SIM cards.

Standardizing mobile user information with the national population database is also a solution for a healthier online environment.

Mr. Nguyen Phong Nha stated: After March 31st, mobile subscribers with inaccurate or inconsistent information compared to the national population database will have their service blocked. Currently, the Telecommunications Department is also requesting mobile telecommunications companies to review, cross-check, and implement solutions to verify the information of subscribers who have complete documentation and registered their information correctly, to ensure that subscriber information is accurate and matches the information in the national population database.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/chong-lua-dao-qua-di-dong-xu-ly-triet-de-sim-rac-post682022.html