MONKEY BUSINESS | Group urges system audit after photo of monkey passes SIM registration

September 6, 2023 , 03:44 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(September 6, 2023) – A test done by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) revealed that a fake ID with a photo of an animal can be used to register a subscriber identity module (SIM) card.

This revelation, according to a network of digital advocates, is more than enough to merit the review of the controversial SIM Registration Law because scammers might be using the identity of other people to sign up phone numbers for fraudulent activities.

Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo stressed that the government should not allow criminals to victimize more vulnerable people.

“It is not farfetched to think that the SIM registry is already tainted after what the NBI has discovered. An independent audit should be undertaken now by the telcos (telecommunication companies) and the government. The victims were already victimized when their data was compromised,” said Gustilo.

On Tuesday, NBI cybercrime division chief Atty. Jeremy Lotoc said they tried to register SIM cards using an ID that featured the face of a monkey in the portals used by telcos.

“We entered the face of an animal in different names at natanggap pa rin,” said Lotoc, adding that this shows how anyone can register even through fraudulent means.

He said this during the hearing of the committee on public services in the Senate.

“Ang issue kasi namin, prior (to the law’s implementation), meron nang mga fraudulent identities. In fact, as of the moment, nag-e-exist pa rin, puwedeng mag-register na kahit ibang identity ang gamit niyo,” said Lotoc.

Among other things, the SIM Registration Law was envisioned to help address scams and other illicit activities, but critics pointed out that the law has so far been unsuccessful in doing so.

Gustilo stressed that the government must immediately act after what the NBI discovered.

“If monkeys can be used to register a SIM, just imagine if compromised data of individuals will be used to register SIMs which will be used for fraudulent and other criminal activities,” stressed Gustilo.

Last July 25, telcos closed the mandatory registration of SIM cards. At least 114 million signups were tallied. A new SIM card must be first registered with a telco before it can be used.

Sen. Grace Poe, who authored and sponsored the SIM Registration Law, called for an inquiry into its implementation because of the persistence of text scams.

In a statement yesterday, Poe called on the authorities to “go the extra mile” in implementing the law and in ensuring that it curbs text scams.

“Kung malikhain ang mga manloloko, dapat mas maging malikhain tayo,” said Poe. “While we do not discount the warnings and notices sent by the agencies and telcos to the public, we must go above and beyond if we are to combat this plague in our telecom system.”

(PM)

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