SIM Card Scam: Vendors Who Pre-Register Cards For Sale To Be Jailed.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) in Ghana has announced that all vendors who pre-register SIM cards to be sold will be jailed.
The NCA made this known in a press release by it’s public relations officer, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has said that the decision was arrived at following the arrest of the three dealers of pre-registered SIM Cards.
The administration is entirely dedicated to making sure that “we have a safe digital ecosystem underlying our collective cybersecurity,” according to Mrs. Owusu-message Ekuful’s to the media on Monday.
The exercise to register SIM cards has as its main goals the protection of the public from fraud, the promotion of collective security, and the advancement of the transformational digital agenda.
How do they do it?
In a statement released on Monday, the minister stated, “Let me remind all SIM card merchants that it is against the law to pre-register and sell SIM cards” (October 17, 2022).
In order to catch these lawbreakers, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has been instructed to perform mystery shopping.
She continued, “If proven guilty, they [vendors] might face up to 5 years in prison.”
What could you get arrested for?
In Ghana, it’s against the law to sell SIM cards that are not registered with the government. So, if a vendor is caught selling pre-registered SIM cards, they could be jailed for up to five years.
This scam has been going on for a while and it’s only recently that arrests have been made after a crackdown on people who were pre-registering SIM cards.
How Do I Know If A SIM Card Is Registered Before Purchase?
The government has announced that those who pre-register SIM cards for sale will be jailed. If you want to avoid being caught, it is important to check if the SIM card is registered before you buy it.
What should I do if I bought a registered card?
If you have purchased a registered card from a vendor, it is important that you be vigilant in safeguarding your information. There are three things you can do to protect yourself and others from these scams:
1) Report the seller to the authorities. If the vendor is pre-registering SIM cards for sale, they are committing fraud and should be reported.
2) Change your Ghana card PIN number if possible.
For some merchants, they even registered SIM cards in the names of people they did not directly know and sold them to various customers without getting their permission. Others registered numerous SIM cards for sale using their own personal information.
FAQs
1) What is the SIM card scam?
When thieves deceive your carrier into connecting your phone number to a SIM card in their hands, they are able to seize control of your phone.
2) What should I do if I am affected by the scam?
Report the seller to the authorities. If the vendor is pre-registering SIM cards for sale, they are committing fraud and should be reported.
3) How can I protect myself from this scam?
1.If you get a questionable email.
2. If you answered a dubious email.
3. Never email your money or personal details.
4. Check your bank and credit card statements.
4) Why are these vendors pre-registering SIM cards for sale to be jailed?
If you have purchased a registered card from a vendor, it is important that you be vigilant in safeguarding your information.
Recommended reading: Download and use the app, GH SIM SELF REG
Read also: Vendors who have pre-registered SIM cards for sale to be jailed
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