The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is considering a proposal to limit the number of SIM cards that each person can own, as part of its efforts to combat text scams and other cybercrimes.
According to DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy, the idea was prompted after billions of pesos on e-wallets were confiscated from raids on POGOs.
Text scams remain prevalent despite the implementation of the SIM Registration Act, which requires all SIM card users to register their personal information with their service providers.
It was also discovered that some scammers used fake IDs to register multiple SIM cards, which were used for fraudulent activities.
Uy said the DICT is looking at capping the number of SIMs a person can own to five. “If we follow what other countries have implemented in their SIM card registration, other countries have implemented a limitation in the number of SIM cards that can be registered, so that’s one option that we’re looking at,” he said.
Uy also said that the DICT is looking at strengthening the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the SIM Registration Act, which was signed into law on October 10, 2022, and took effect on December 27, 2022. The deadline for SIM card registration was originally set for April 26, 2023, but was later extended for 90 days.
The DICT reported more than 110 million SIM cards have been registered in the Philippines as of July 25, 2023, the last day of the mandatory registration period for existing and new SIM users.
Should you receive suspicious texts, ignore and delete them, and do not click on any link attached to them. You can report text scams to kontratextscam@ntc.gov.ph, on the NTC website at www.ntc.gov.ph, or call the I-ARC Hotline at 1326.
