THE Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has issued a public warning against social media accounts fraudulently offering SIM registration services for a fee. A statement released on Wednesday highlighted a fake account, “DITO Telecommunity,” which falsely advertises its services as compatible with all networks. The account encourages users to contact them via direct message.
DITO Telecommunity Corporation has officially denied any affiliation with this account and stated they have not authorized such services. In response to CICC inquiries, DITO emphasized their stringent SIM registration procedures, claiming to be the strictest of the three major telecommunication providers.
CICC Executive Director Alexander Ramos reminded the public that SIM registration requires in-person verification with the respective network provider. This involves presenting a valid government-issued ID and taking a selfie. Ramos stressed the simplicity of the process, emphasizing that there’s no legitimate need to hire a third party. He warned that these fraudulent accounts likely collect personal information for malicious purposes, such as phishing scams.
The SIM Registration Law, enacted in October 2022 and effective December 27, 2022, mandates registration for all new SIM cards, with unregistered SIMs subject to deactivation. As of July 2023, CICC reports 113,969,014 registered SIMs out of a total of 168,016,400 in circulation. The public is urged to exercise caution and register their SIM cards directly with their network provider to avoid becoming victims of these scams.
metrosundaily
