The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) issued a public advisory on Wednesday, urging consumers to be wary of fraudulent offers for expedited SIM card registration. The warning follows the rise of dubious social media accounts offering SIM registration services for all networks for a minimal fee, claiming to speed up the process.
CICC executive director Alexander K. Ramos emphasized that there are no shortcuts to complying with Republic Act No. 11934, also known as the SIM Registration Act, which has been in effect since December 2022. He reminded the public that registration must be done personally through the legitimate channels of telecom providers and requires a government-issued ID and a selfie.
A recent example involved a social media account, using the name “DITO Telecommunity,” which posted an offer claiming to register SIM cards for a fee: “SIM card registration available po. PM lang po sa gustong mag register Jan. all network po.” DITO Telecommunity Corporation swiftly disowned the account, clarifying that it had not authorized the practice and stressing that they are the strictest among all telecom providers when it comes to SIM registration.
Ramos warned that using third-party services for SIM registration could expose users to potential misuse of their personal information. “The SIM registration process is simple and straightforward, and there’s no need to hire a third party,” he said.
Since the implementation of RA 11934, over 113 million SIM cards have been registered, out of a total of 168 million in circulation as of July 2023. For any questions or concerns, the public is encouraged to contact the Inter-Agency Response Center hotline at 1326, which operates 24/7.
