THE Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) has ramped up its efforts against the illegal online sale of registered Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, conducting 55 operations in 2024 that resulted in the arrest of 65 people, six of them convicted, so far.
Those arrested face charges under multiple laws, including Republic Act (RA) 12010, known as the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (Afasa); Section 7 of RA 11934, or the SIM Registration Act; and Section 6 of RA 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
During these operations, law enforcers seized more than 6,200 SIM cards, which included over 3,000 registered SIMs, and 29 connected to e-wallet accounts.
Gen. Bernard Yang, officer-in-charge of the PNP-ACG, urged the public to assist in combating this illegal activity by reporting any information related to the unauthorized sale of registered SIM cards.
“Timely reporting enables swift and decisive action against these activities,” he said.
The most recent operation was carried out last Jan. 8 at 3:05 p.m. in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija. The Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 3 (RACU-3) of the PNP-ACG conducted an entrapment operation that led to the arrest of three individuals involved in the illegal online sale of registered SIM cards.
The investigation began with cyber patrol efforts by RACU-3 personnel, who identified a Facebook user advertising registered SIM cards for sale. The seller offered the SIM cards at P19 each for bulk purchases. This intelligence culminated in a successful sting operation resulting in the confiscation of 7,000 registered SIM cards.
Yang commended the efforts of RACU-3 personnel, emphasizing the importance of their work in protecting the public from cyber-related crimes.
“The sale of registered SIM cards facilitates illegal activities, such as identity theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes,” he said.
Yang urged the public to remain vigilant and report any instances of illegal SIM card sales to the PNP-ACG.
“Your cooperation is vital in ensuring a safer digital environment for everyone,” he said.
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