The Department of Telecommunications has cautioned citizens against fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers and IMEI tampering after a Chhattisgarh case involving 25 mobile connections activated without the concerned citizens’ knowledge.
DoT acts after 25 SIMs were activated using citizen IDs
The DoT’s Madhya Pradesh Licensed Service Area (MP LSA) has taken action following recent cybercrime investigations that uncovered fraudulent SIM issuance in Chhattisgarh.
According to the Department, a Point of Sale (PoS) agent illegally activated 25 mobile connections using identification documents belonging to citizens without their knowledge or consent. The concerned PoS agent was subsequently blacklisted by the DoT and telecom service providers, preventing it from issuing further mobile connections.
The 25 connections were also examined through the DoT’s Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). Connections identified as suspicious were subjected to re-verification, while numbers that failed the verification process were subsequently deactivated.
The enforcement action has now been accompanied by a broader advisory aimed at both consumers and entities involved in SIM issuance.
SIM fraud can attract up to Rs 50 lakh fine
The DoT has reiterated that fraudulent issuance of SIM cards, misuse of telecommunication identifiers and tampering with IMEI numbers are punishable offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
Under Section 42 of the Act, obtaining SIMs or other telecommunication identifiers through fraud, cheating or personation, as well as tampering with telecommunication identifiers, can attract imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh, or both. The Act also provides that offences specified under the section are cognizable and non-bailable.
The Department’s latest advisory also covers the misuse of SIM cards after legitimate activation. Citizens have been cautioned against transferring, selling, loaning, renting or otherwise handing over SIM cards registered in their names to people who could use them for cyber fraud or other unlawful activities.
SIM owners can face legal liability
One of the important consumer warnings in the advisory concerns SIMs registered in an individual’s name but subsequently used by another person.
The DoT has cautioned that legal liability may extend to the original subscriber if a SIM registered in their name is misused. This makes it important for consumers to treat a mobile connection registered against their identity as a responsibility rather than something that can simply be lent to another person.
The warning is particularly relevant in cases where individuals hand over their SIMs to another person for temporary use, allow someone else to operate a connection registered in their name, or obtain additional connections for another person’s use.
The advisory also warns against obtaining SIM cards using fake documents, fraud, cheating or impersonation. It separately cautions against using applications, websites or other methods to modify Calling Line Identity (CLI) or other telecommunication identifiers.
DoT also warns against IMEI tampering
The latest advisory is not limited to SIM cards. The Department has also warned consumers against using, procuring or assembling equipment such as modems, modules or SIM Boxes with configurable or tampered IMEI numbers.
IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identifier associated with a mobile device. Tampering with telecom identifiers can undermine the ability of networks and authorities to identify devices and connections involved in unlawful activity.
The Telecommunications Act specifically covers tampering with telecommunication identifiers and the use or possession of equipment involving unauthorised or tampered identifiers under its offence provisions.
Sanchar Saathi can help consumers check SIMs
The DoT has advised citizens to regularly verify the mobile connections issued in their names through the government’s Sanchar Saathi portal and mobile app.
The service allows users to view mobile numbers registered against their identity and take action on connections that they do not recognise or no longer require. The government has positioned the service as one of its tools for reducing the misuse of telecom resources in cyber fraud and other unlawful activities.
Sanchar Saathi also provides a facility to check the genuineness of a mobile handset using its IMEI. Users can obtain information associated with the device, including its brand, model and manufacturer details.
Why the advisory matters for Indian mobile users
India’s mobile ecosystem relies heavily on SIM-based authentication for banking, digital payments, government services, messaging and other online accounts. A mobile number registered using someone’s identity documents can therefore become an important link in a cybercrime investigation if it is later misused.
The Chhattisgarh case also illustrates the role of telecom-level monitoring after a suspicious connection is identified. In this instance, the 25 connections were examined through the DoT’s DIP, followed by re-verification and deactivation of numbers that failed the process.
For consumers, the practical message from the September 21 advisory is straightforward: do not allow SIM cards registered in your name to be rented, sold, loaned or transferred for another person’s use, and regularly check which mobile connections are associated with your identity.
The DoT has said the measures are intended to prevent telecom resources and identifiers from being exploited for cyber fraud while strengthening the security and trustworthiness of India’s communications ecosystem.
