ZICTA STOPS FRAUDULENTLY REGISTERED SIM CARDS

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Derrick Sinjela

ZAMBIA Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) Acting Corporate Communications Manager Hanford Chaaba is urging consumers to desist from purchasing and using already registered SIM cards as doing so is against the law, and anyone found wanting risks being prosecuted.

Mr. Chaaba advised members of the public to report anyone found selling or in possession of fraudulently registered SIM cards to law enforcement agencies or to the Authority on 7070 for possible deactivation.

Chaaba implored  consumers to avoid responding to SCAM messages but to forward the same to the Authority for investigations.

In 2019, ZICTA  issued SIM Card directives in line with the ICT (Registration of Electronic Communications Apparatus) Regulations, S.I No 65 of 2011, to mitigate the fraud that is associated with SIM registration.

Admonished Chaaba: “ZICTA is concerned that despite the directives, there is minimum adherence to the directives by the mobile network operators (MNOs) and the sellers of SIM Cards; a rampant possession and use of fraudulently registered or pre-registered SIM cards by members of the public. Some consumers use SIM cards that are not registered in their personal details; and are scammers sending unsolicited messages to members of the public using the SMS platform by using fraudulently registered SIM cards, a situation which compromises the safety of other users of electronic communication services”.

Chaaba advised consumers to regularise their SIM card registration status by visiting their nearest Service Centres with their valid identification cards (ID) or use respective USSDs/Applications within seven days from Monday, January 24, 2022.

The ZICTA  Acting Corporate Communications Manager encouraged consumers to regularly check and confirm the number of SIM cards registered against their identity cards by dialling *101# and report all unidentified SIM cards to your respective MNOs or to the Authority.

USE OF FRAUDULENTLY REGISTERED SIM CARDS FRIDAY JANUARY 21, 2022

ZICTA Press Statement

By Hanford Chaaba (Mr) – Acting Corporate Communications Manager

Press Contact:

Phone: +260 211 378200

Email: complaints@zicta.zm/info@zicta.zm:

Website: www.zicta.zm

Facebook: ZICTA FACEBOOK:

Twitter: ZICTAICP

 

In 2019, the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority issued SIM Card directives in line with the ICT (Registration of Electronic Communications Apparatus) Regulations, S.I No 65 of 2011, to mitigate the fraud that is associated with SIM registration. However, the Authority is concerned that despite the directives, there:

(a)  is minimum adherence to the directives by the mobile network operators (MNOs) and the sellers of SIM Cards;

(b)  is a rampant possession and use of fraudulently registered or pre-registered SIM cards by members of the public. Some consumers use SIM cards that are not registered in their personal details; and

(c)  are scammers sending unsolicited messages to members of the public using the SMS platform by using fraudulently registered SIM cards, a situation which compromises the safety of other users of electronic communication services.

As the public is aware, the purchase and use of a pre-registered SIM card is prohibited. In that regard, the Authority has identified SIM Cards that are suspected to have been fraudulently registered or registered in violation of S.I 65 and the SIM card directives.

The Authority will commence the process of deactivating the non-compliant and fraudulently registered SIM cards. Members of the public are therefore advised to regularise their SIM card registration status by visiting their nearest Service Centres with their valid identification cards (ID) or use respective USSDs/Applications within seven days from Monday, January 24, 2022.

Consumers who will not regularise their SIM card registration within this period risk having their SIM cards deactivated by the Authority.

In the same vein, the Authority wishes to encourage consumers to regularly check and confirm the number of SIM cards that are registered against their identity cards by dialling *101# and report all unidentified SIM cards to your respective MNOs or to the Authority.

This is in order to prevent their details from being used by unscrupulous individuals to register SIM cards without their knowledge and consent.

The Authority wishes to remind consumers that failure to check and confirm the SIM cards registered against your ID on a regular basis puts you at the risk of identity theft which may have far reaching consequences especially when the SIM card is used for criminal activities.

Consumers are further advised to desist from purchasing and using already registered SIM cards as doing so is against the law, and anyone found wanting risks being prosecuted.

We therefore, urge members of the public to report anyone selling or in possession of fraudulently registered SIM cards to law enforcement agencies or to the Authority on 7070 for possible deactivation.

Consumers are also advised to avoid responding to SCAM messages but to forward the same to the Authority for investigations.