SIM Swaps: Government will implement new rules from July 1 to prevent fake SIM swaps

SIM Swaps: With the new regulation, TRAI has added additional criteria for rejecting requests for allocation of Unique Porting Code (UPC). These revised regulations are aimed at preventing fraudulent porting of mobile numbers through SIM swap or replacement. The government announced that the new rules aimed at preventing fraudulent SIM swap or replacement by cyber criminals will come into effect from next Monday.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability (Ninth Amendment) Regulations in March 2024, and these regulations will come into force from July 1. Under the new regulation, the waiting period for porting a mobile number after a SIM swap has been reduced from 10 days to 7 days.

TRAI said, “These amendment regulations are aimed at preventing the porting of mobile numbers through fraudulent SIM swap/replacement by unscrupulous elements.” The new regulation has been added to reject requests for Unique Porting Code (UPC). If a request for UPC is made within seven days of SIM swap/replacement, it will be rejected. This rule is to prevent fraudulent SIM-swapping practices, which have recently caused financial losses to users. For those unaware, SIM swapping is when scammers trick you into signing in to their mobile number.

mobile phoneThey trick the carrier into activating the SIM card that the fraudsters have. Once successful, the scammers gain control of your phone number.

As a result, anyone trying to contact you via call or text will end up on the scammers’ device rather than your smartphone. Meanwhile, certain provisions of the Telecommunications Act 2023 came into force on June 26 this year. The Act aims to provide for the development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and networks as well as laws governing the allocation of spectrum and related matters.

The bill was to update and consolidate the Indian Telegraph Act. It was aimed at replacing archaic laws such as the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 and the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act of 1933 due to significant technological advancements in the telecom sector. The new provisions, which came into force on June 26, include restrictions on the number of SIM cards a person can use, penalties for fraudulently obtaining SIM cards, permission to install mobile towers, etc.

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