Fraudsters, beware! Gatchalian gives prepaid SIM registration bill another push in Senate

Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for the bill mandating registration of all users of pre-paid subscriber identity module (SIM) cards in the Senate to enable authorities to easily clampdown those engaged in nefarious and illegal activities.

A number of individuals in the recent months have fallen prey to online fraudsters who used prepaid SIM cards as a tool to carry out their wicked activities, according to Gatchalian.

The senator, who was himself a recent victim of these illegal activities, learned that the perpetrators managed to charge to his credit card account an online food delivery after gaining access to a security feature on web-based services - the One-Time Password (OTP) -using a prepaid mobile phone.

"When fraudsters gain access to OTPs, it's as if they're the actual owners of the account doing the transaction," said Gatchalian.

The senator, who as early as June 30, 2016, filed a bill mandating the registration of all users of pre-paid SIM cards, said it's now imperative to consider regulating its sale and distribution to help curb unlawful activities. He re-filed the measure in July 2019.

"The boundless stream of supply of prepaid SIM cards has become a magnet of illicit activities since the start of the pandemic. There had been countless cases of online fraudsters who used unregistered mobile numbers," Gatchalian said.

"Mahalagang may mukha o pangalan sa likod ng mga prepaid SIM cards lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya na kailangan ng contact-tracing. Anong kaibahan kung gagawin nang requirement ang pagre-register ng mga prepaid SIM cards sa requirement na kailangang mag-register sa mga lugar na pinupuntahan mo para sa contact-tracing?" he asked.

Under Senate Bill No. 176 or the proposed SIM Card Registration Act, end users of prepaid SIM cards shall be required to present a valid ID and photo and sign a control-numbered registration form issued by the service provider of the purchased SIM card. Copies of the accomplished forms shall be furnished to the same service provider and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

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Gatchalian muling isinulong ang panukalang prepaid SIM registration sa Senado

Muling isinulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang kanyang panukalang batas na nagmamandatong irehistro ang lahat ng gumagamit ng pre-paid subscriber identity module (SIM) cards upang mapabilis ang pagtugis sa mga kawatan.

Matapos mabiktima ang senador ng online fraud nitong unang bahagi ng buwan, napag-alaman niya na sangkatutak na pala silang biktima ng iba-t ibang uri ng modus mula noong huling yugto ng nakaraang taon hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Nakatanggap kasi ng gabundok na mga reklamo ang mambabatas hinggil sa online fraud, scamming o hacking gamit ang prepaid SIM cards.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, maraming netizens ang nagsiwalat ng kanilang mga sinapit at nag-iwan ng mga mensahe sa kanyang official email at Facebook account na na-access ang isang security feature sa web-based services na One-Time Password (OTP) gamit ang prepaid na mobile number dahilan para mapagnakawan sila ng pera. Ani Gatchalian, oras na ma-access ng mga fraudsters ang OTP, parang sila na rin ang may-ari ng account.

Ang naturang panukalang batas ay unang inihain ni Gatchalian noong ika-30 ng Hunyo 2016 at muling inihain noong Hulyo ng taong 2019.

"Hindi na bago ang ganitong mga uri ng panloloko. Lalo pang lumala at dumami ang bilang ng ganitong modus noong nagka pandemya at karamihan sa mga ito ay sa pamamagitan ng unregistered mobile numbers," ayon kay Gatchalian.

"Mahalagang may mukha o pangalan sa likod ng mga prepaid SIM cards lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya na kailangan ng contact-tracing. Anong kaibahan kung gagawin nang requirement ang pagre-register ng mga prepaid SIM cards sa requirement na kailangang mag-register sa mga lugar na pinupuntahan mo para sa contact-tracing?" taong niya.

Sa ilalim ng Senate Bill No. 176 o ang SIM Card Registration Act, lahat ng gumagamit ng prepaid SIM cards ay kinakailangan nang magpakita ng valid ID at larawan at pumirma ng isang control-numbered registration form na na-issue ng service provider ng nabiling SIM card. Mabibigyan din ng kopya ng registration papers ang service provider at National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).