PAOCC suggests temporary stop in online SIM registration amid fraud issues

Online registration of SIM cards should be temporarily stopped as the system accepts fake identities and information, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said on Friday.

PAOCC executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said they found and confiscated an equipment that can register up to 64 SIM cards at the same time. He said this equipment is for sale even online.

“Siguro po for the meantime — suggestion lang po ito sa amin — huwag muna natin gamitin iyong ating SIM registration, iyong mga bago lang na magpapa-rehistro,” he told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita.

(Maybe for the meantime — this is just our suggestion — we should temporarily stop the registration of new SIM cards.)

Cruz said telecommunication companies (telcos) and authorities should “physically or manually” check the information of registrants so they can remove those who submitted dummy information and conduct and go after the perpetrators.

“Habang nakatigil iyong pagrerehistro online ay salain na po nila. Kagaya ng sinabi ko physically, manually puwede nilang makita iyong mga dapat tanggalin at imbestigahan na iyong mga iyon,” he said.

(While the registration is on pause, they should screen the registrants. Like what I’ve said before, they can check physically or manually who should be removed and conduct an investigation.)

Cruz also suggested issuing a department or an executive order allowing telecommunication firms to have a reference from the agencies that are issuing IDs so they can cross-check for authenticity.

On Thursday, PAOCC demonstrated to the press how SIM cards may be registered using anime names and photos as well as made-up addresses.

With this, SIM registration for purposes of committing cybercrime has been easy as telecommunication firms reportedly use artificial intelligence in the process.

For its part, Smart Communications Inc. said the entire cyber scam system “must be put into light and not be obsessed or focused on certain parts.”

"The entire cyber scam system must be put into light and not be obsessed or focused on certain parts — instead all stakeholders should work on a holistic solution,” it said.

"SIM cards are largely imported and are used in other IT devices, i.e. bank cards; aside from cellphones. It's not in the production or importation but in the misuse by unscrupulous elements,” it added.

Globe Telecoms had earlier said that it does not sell pre-registered SIMS. Though the address can be edited after registration, a registrant's name can not, it said.

From January to August, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said its Anti-Cybercrime Group has investigated a total of 16,297 cybercrime cases.

So far, 4,902 people were victimized and 397 suspects have been arrested. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News