The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has warned residents in Central Luzon to be cautious of scammers who may be offering assistance with the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards for a fee.
The commission said the SIM registration process is free of charge, adding that individuals who claim to be able to register SIM cards for a fee are fraudulent.
Earlier this month, the NTC issued an advisory to the public to be aware of individuals who may be taking advantage of technical and computer illiterate users by offering paid assistance for SIM registration.
Some scammers are reportedly urging users to pre-register their SIM cards through emails or else their SIM cards will be deactivated.
NTC has cautioned that providing personal information to these fraudsters may result in identity theft, violation of privacy, and other crimes.
Section 6 of Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Card Registration Act states that telecommunications companies must ensure that end-users’ data is secured and protected at all times, and that the registration process is free of charge to end-users.
To register their SIM cards, prepaid subscribers must visit the authorized websites of telecommunications companies and fill out the necessary information including their full name, date of birth, sex, and address.
They must also upload a photo of themselves and a government-issued identification card for verification.
Postpaid subscribers need only verify the data they submit to their service providers. Business users must provide the business name, address, and full name of an authorized signatory. Minors must register under their parent or legal guardian’s name along with any government-issued ID of the parent or guardian.