SIM Card Misuse Can Bring ₹50 Lakh Fine, 3-Year Jail

The Department of Telecommunications warns users against fraudulent SIM issuance, SIM sharing and IMEI tampering, with violations attracting up to three years’ imprisonment and a ₹50 lakh fine.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) cautions mobile users against fraudulent issuance of SIM cards, misuse of telecom identifiers and tampering with International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. The department states that such violations can attract imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹50 lakh under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

The advisory follows a recent cybercrime investigation in Chhattisgarh, where a Point of Sale (PoS) agent is found to have illegally activated 25 mobile connections using identification documents belonging to citizens without their knowledge or consent.

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Following the investigation, the DoT and telecom service providers blacklist the concerned PoS agent from issuing further connections. The identified numbers are examined through the DoT’s Digital Intelligence Platform, with suspicious connections subjected to re-verification and those failing the process subsequently deactivated.

The DoT advises subscribers not to share, transfer, sell, rent or lend SIM cards registered in their names. If a connection is subsequently used for cyber fraud or another unlawful activity, the original subscriber may face legal liability. The department also cautions citizens against obtaining SIM cards through forged documents, fraud, cheating or impersonation.

Users are further advised to avoid modems, SIM boxes and other equipment containing configurable or tampered IMEI numbers. The DoT also warns against using applications, websites or other tools to modify Calling Line Identity (CLI) or other telecom identifiers. Such practices can undermine telecom network security and facilitate unlawful activities.

To help consumers identify unauthorised connections, the government recommends using the Sanchar Saathi portal and mobile application. The platform allows users to review mobile numbers issued in their names and report or block connections they do not recognise or require. Consumers can also use the service to verify the genuineness and details of mobile handsets through their IMEI numbers.

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The advisory highlights the importance of regularly checking mobile connections linked to personal identification documents and ensuring that SIM cards and devices are used only in accordance with telecom regulations. The DoT says these measures are intended to strengthen telecom security, prevent identity misuse and reduce the scope for cyber fraud.