Network operators simultaneously stop developing SIM cards through agents

Junk SIMs and scam calls are a problem that is causing much unrest in society. To solve this problem, the Ministry of Information and Communications has taken drastic measures, conducting nationwide inspections of agents and network operators to detect and handle violations in subscriber information registration. Following the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Information and Communications, network operators have committed to stop contracts with agents and focus only on controlled distribution chains. This could be a turning point in the fight against junk SIMs, spam calls and scam calls. VietNamNet informs readers of a series of articles on this issue.

According to police statistics, cybercrime has increased rapidly after the Covid pandemic, while traditional crime has tended to decrease. Cybercriminals use junk SIM cards and junk bank accounts to commit fraud and property appropriation, causing many difficulties for investigative agencies.

At the end of August 2023, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed and issued an Official Dispatch on strengthening solutions to prevent, stop, and handle illegal credit activities. The Official Dispatch noted that recently, a number of new methods and tricks have appeared, taking advantage of high technology, hiding under the guise of businesses to carry out illegal lending and debt collection activities, causing public outrage and affecting security and order.

The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Information and Communications to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to apply population data to step up the work of screening and authenticating Internet and mobile subscribers, immediately eliminating "junk" SIMs, and not allowing subjects to take advantage of illegal credit activities.

Stop developing SIM through agents

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Duc Long said that junk SIM cards are causing many consequences for society and the Ministry of Information and Communications will direct network operators to deal with this problem. Every month, about 1.5 million SIM cards are released to the market by network operators. Of these, about 80% are sold through agents, the remaining 20% are sold through chain channels such as electronics stores and through the network operators' own distribution channels.

“There is still a situation where agents hire people to register SIM cards with full information, which can be checked against the National Population Database, and then resell them to other users. In response to this situation, the Ministry of Information and Communications has worked with network operators and requested corrections. All network operators have committed to the Ministry of Information and Communications to stop SIM card development agents. Therefore, from September 10, we will only focus on chain channels,” said Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long.

Instead of using agent channels, carriers will focus on developing their own distribution channels and reputable chain channels. Businesses will consider which channels ensure monitoring and control before developing subscribers. Only by developing subscribers strictly can we limit the situation of junk SIMs and unregistered SIMs entering the market.

"The Ministry of Information and Communications will handle it very seriously according to Decree 14/2022. If discovered, the subscriber development business will be suspended for 3-12 months depending on the level of violation of the network operators," Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long emphasized.

Customers can buy SIM cards at dealers but must go to the carrier's store or distribution chain to activate the SIM card.

Sharing with VietNamNet , a representative of VinaPhone said that they have strictly followed the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Information and Communications to prevent junk SIMs. VinaPhone has notified and cut off SIM activation rights for agents.

Like VinaPhone, MobiFone representatives confirmed that they have announced the termination of contracts with SIM dealers. Customers can buy SIMs at dealers but must go to MobiFone transaction points to activate new SIMs. In addition, MobiFone has deployed the use of controlled chain channels such as The Gioi Di Dong, FPT Shop, etc. as distribution channels.

A MobiFone representative said: “Currently, there are still a number of SIM cards on the market that have been registered under someone else’s name and then sold on the market. Therefore, after September 10, there will still be agents selling pre-activated SIM cards.”

Viettel representative also confirmed that they have notified SIM card dealers and cut off the right to activate new subscribers of these dealers. In addition, Viettel has chosen Mobile World and Viettel Post as controlled chain channels to distribute SIM cards.

SIM dealers who violate the law are about to be punished.

Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long said that there is currently a situation where many people are willing to register for subscriptions under someone else’s name. This leads to a subscription with real registration information, name, and address but is actually owned by another user. Therefore, a number of users have contributed to the problem of SIM cards not being owned by the owner.

Previously, the Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Information and Communications) said that it would strictly handle subjects who use personal information to register SIM cards for others. After the SIM card is registered and given to others to use, they may encounter cases where the user of that phone number takes advantage of this to commit illegal acts. The person whose name is on the SIM card will have to face the handling of the authorities when being investigated.

Pre-activated SIM cards are being sold like vegetables.

Recently, the Ministry of Information and Communications has deployed 82 inspection teams to inspect the compliance with the law on the management of information on terrestrial mobile telecommunications subscribers in many provinces and localities. The inspection activities were carried out simultaneously nationwide with 8 mobile telecommunications enterprises, branches, telecommunications service providers and organizations and individuals registering a large number of subscriber SIM cards.

The subjects of inspection are organizations and individuals who register multiple SIM cards, telecommunications service providers who illegally use information of organizations/individuals or use their own information to register and pre-activate multiple SIM cards and circulate them on the market. This includes service providers established by telecommunications enterprises.

The purpose of the large-scale inspection is to strictly handle the situation of taking advantage of and using other people's information to register SIM subscribers, intentionally registering multiple SIMs to circulate on the market but not transferring the right to use.

In particular, the inspection also clarified cases of using SIM cards registered with other people's information. SIM cards that violate the law on subscriber information management will be subject to suspension of operation.

This is the second time the Ministry of Information and Communications has targeted agents on a large scale. Previously, from October 1, 2019 to November 20, 2019, the Ministry of Information and Communications conducted a large-scale inspection of mobile subscriber information management. After the inspection, the Departments of Information and Communications fined 12 branches and 21 telecommunications service providers with a total fine of VND 417.25 million.

Sharing with VietNamNet on September 13 about this nationwide inspection campaign, Mr. Do Huu Tri, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Information and Communications, affirmed that the inspection campaign and activities to eliminate junk SIMs will certainly have a strong impact on agents. The inspection process has discovered many violations by agents. Therefore, the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Information and Communications will certainly decide to punish these agents. In addition, it is possible to consider additional penalties for agents.

Previously, the Telecommunications Department said: “The Ministry of Information and Communications has requested telecommunications enterprises to strictly handle violations according to the Government's direction. During the inspection process, if violations such as intentionally forging documents to register subscriber information, taking advantage of and illegally using other people's information to register and activate SIMs, causing consequences, depending on the level of violation, the Inspection Team will transfer to the police for further handling.”

Lesson 2: After the "strong medicine", will SIM card dealers "get in shape"?

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