New Delhi: Delhi Police reported a staggering 245% increase in the blocking of SIM cards this year, the data shows. The alarming statistics reveal that 35,613 SIM cards were blocked in the city till Nov, up from 10,322 last year. Similarly, 3,454 IMEIs were blocked this year, a massive jump from the mere 13 blocked last year.
These statistics reveal a growing threat of SIM card misuse for cybercrime, prompting Delhi Police to act swiftly. Recently Delhi Police seized 5,000 activated SIM cards from a dealer in Bihar’s Gaya, underscoring the magnitude of this disturbing trend. This year alone, authorities witnessed a two-fold increase in such incidents in the city, prompting police, in collaboration with the department of telecommunications (DoT), to block such illicitly obtained cards.
According to police, they found that most of these SIM cards were issued in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Rajasthan but were used to commit cyber fraud in Delhi. “These SIM cards were either allotted in someone else’s name, often to individuals who weren’t very literate or villagers who lacked knowledge about the number of SIMs registered in their documents. The other way is through forged documents. The connivance of SIM card vendors is also suspected,” the officer said.
The scammers adopt a sophisticated modus operandi involving SIM card distribution points in remote areas. They collect documents from villagers, provide them with one SIM card each and then use their documents to allocate more pre-activated SIM cards.
But how are these SIM cards being misused? Scammers identify vulnerable individuals in remote areas and offer to help them obtain essential documents like Aadhaar. In the process they get access to their personal information. “This information is then used to allot SIMs in their names, which are subsequently supplied to scammers operating from foreign countries,” revealed a police officer.
To combat this growing threat, Delhi Police has been working closely with DoT to block the illicit cards. However, the fight against cybercrime is an ongoing one, and it requires constant vigilance and cooperation from all stakeholders, cyber experts caution.
According to data released by the central govt, around 6.7 lakh SIM cards and 1.3 lakh IMEIs suspected to be linked to cybercrimes were blocked till Nov 15 this year.
The SIMs are also supplied to scammers based in foreign countries. In one case, police discovered that international scammers sent their associates to India, posing as tourists, to collect SIM cards from their Indian counterparts. These SIM cards were then used to commit various types of cyber fraud, including phishing and financial fraud.
Stolen or snatched phones are also used to commit cybercrimes in the city. “The scammers procure these phones from thieves or snatchers,” an officer said. “They operate from distant locations. In these cases too, we request DoT to block the IMEIs,” the officer said.
