DOJ collaborating with telcos to combat SIM card scams after Pasay raid

File photo of SIM cards (AFP)

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said they will be seeking the assistance of telecommunication companies in building-up cases for violation of the Republic Act 11934, otherwise known as the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act.

During a raid in Pasay City last week, authorities confiscated over 28,000 SIM cards.

“28,000 SIM cards were found. SIM card act was supposed to ensure that all owners are verifiable and SIM cards are not used for unlawful purposes. [The] presence of 28,000 SIM cards are questionable already,” Remulla told reporters.

Around 600 workers were initially held by authorities during the Pasay raid.

But only 91 Filipinos and 20 foreigners were subjected to inquest proceedings before the Pasay City Prosecutors Office for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, Revised Securities Regulation Code, and spoofing under the SIM Registration Act.

Under the law, spoofing refers “to the act of transmitting misleading or inaccurate information about the source of the phone call or text message, with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.”

Seized during the raid were 28,000 SIM cards, hundreds of phones, and other devices allegedly being used for fraudulent activities.

Papers containing what seems to be scripts for love scams and devices for text blasts were also found in the hub.

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said the hub was allegedly into love scams and cryptocurrency scams.

“We will ask them (telecom companies) to help us in our case build up as we examine the records and examine the equipment that we found and the evidence that we found to be of assistance to us against those who perpetrated scam using these SIM cards and other ways,” Remulla said.

“The owners of the SIM cards used in the scams have to be charged properly… It’s possible (that they’re going to be the first ones charged under the SIM Registration Act),” Remulla said.

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