Inspection of using other people's names to register SIM cards, agents in "crosshairs"

The Ministry of Information and Communications said that since April 2023, the Ministry has organized 82 inspection teams nationwide to inspect compliance with the law on management of terrestrial mobile telecommunications service subscriber information, expected to end in June 2023. The objective of this large-scale inspection is to strictly handle the situation of taking advantage of and using other people's information to register subscriber SIMs; the situation of intentionally registering multiple subscriber SIMs to circulate on the market, but not transferring the right to use.

Many SIM card dealers may be fined for violations in managing prepaid subscriber information, following this large-scale inspection.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has also issued a document requesting network operators to implement measures to review and clarify the ownership of subscriber numbers owned by organizations and individuals who own 10 or more SIM cards to ensure that all subscribers registered and owned by customers who are organizations and individuals are accurate and in accordance with the subject and purpose of use.

Previously, the Ministry of Information and Communications issued an official dispatch requesting provinces, cities and Departments of Information and Communications to conduct a large-scale inspection of mobile subscriber information management. The Ministry of Information and Communications requested the Departments of Information and Communications to coordinate with relevant agencies to promptly carry out a large-scale inspection of the management, registration and storage of subscriber information in the Department's management area, specifically as follows: inspect and examine businesses, organizations and individuals registering to use a large number of SIM cards, with signs of unusually large numbers.

The Ministry of Information and Communications requires the Departments of Information and Communications to work with centers and branches of mobile telecommunications enterprises to provide data on registration of large numbers of SIM cards with unusual signs. Specifically, in cases where enterprises and organizations register to use 50 SIM cards or more. In addition, it will inspect telecommunications service providers in the area to sign contracts according to the model and general transaction conditions with the largest number of SIM cards.

The Ministry of Information and Communications also requires the Departments of Information and Communications to invite organizations, businesses, and individuals who register to use SIM cards in unusually large numbers to work, with the participation of representatives of mobile telecommunications enterprises. In case the subscriber does not clarify the location of these SIM cards or the ownership of the subscriber numbers, a record will be made and the mobile telecommunications enterprise will be required to suspend the service provision, or send a message to notify the user to re-enter into a contract according to the form, general transaction conditions, and terminate the provision of telecommunications services according to regulations if the subscriber does not comply.

Regarding subscriber information provided by telecommunications service providers that conduct contracts according to the form and general transaction conditions in large quantities, the Department of Information and Communications directs the inspection of cases where subscriber information is incomplete, inaccurate, or has the same subscriber information and photos but is reused to conduct contracts according to the form and general transaction conditions at different times.

This is the second time the Ministry of Information and Communications has targeted a large-scale inspection of the agency. Previously, from October 1, 2019 to November 20, 2019, the Ministry of Information and Communications conducted a large-scale inspection of mobile subscriber information management. After the inspection, the Departments of Information and Communications fined 12 branches and 21 telecommunications service providers with a total fine of VND 417.25 million.

The Ministry of Information and Communications said that this large-scale inspection will severely punish agents who register a large number of SIM cards and then sell them on the market. Many SIM card agents will be punished for violating prepaid subscriber information management. In addition, those who hire students, freelancers, etc. to register a large number of SIM cards and then sell them will be detected and severely punished. Individuals who register SIM cards for these subjects will also be punished. This inspection will be a strong measure to standardize subscriber information.

Ho Chi Minh City inspects 6 network operators on junk SIM cards and subscriber information . The Department of Information and Communications is deploying 6 inspection teams to 6 telecommunications enterprises on SIM numbers and storage and protection of personal information.

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