Centre makes police verification of SIM dealers mandatory to curb frauds

The government will soon make biometric and police verifications of SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card dealers mandatory to curb cyber fraud and prevent the misuse for criminal activities, Telecom Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw said on Thursday.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will also discontinue the current provision that allows business entities to buy SIM cards in bulk. Instead, it will bring in a concept of business SIM connections, he said.

Briefing reporters on the new rules, Vaishnaw said the need to create greater accountability for SIM card dealers came after detailed field tests and discussions with telecom service providers and police agencies showed that dealers are a major source of fraudulent SIM activities. There are an estimated 1 million SIM dealers in the country.