SIM Card Sale Rules DoT says that telecom companies like Airtel and Jio will have to do a thorough KYC of the shops selling their SIM cards. Failure to do so would attract a fine of Rs 10 lakh per shop. Existing shops selling SIM cards will also have to do their KYC as per the new norms by September 30, 2024.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced new rules for the sale of SIM cards. These regulations come after reports of widespread telecom fraud, including fraudulent phone calls as well as messages.
In fact, there have been reports of more than thousands of SIM cards being issued using the name and identity proof of the same person. Due to increasing cases of fraud, the government has also started taking action on a large scale. The new rule is going to make the method of purchasing and activating SIM cards more stringent.
52 lakh SIMs were switched off
According to Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, the government has blocked 66,000 fraudulent WhatsApp accounts and blacklisted 67,000 SIM card dealers. 300 FIRs have been registered against fraudsters and 52 lakh phone connections have been disconnected. Additionally, around 8 lakh bank wallet accounts used by fraudsters have been frozen.
What is the new rule of DoT
- According to the new rules of DoT, KYC has become mandatory for shops selling SIMs of telecom companies like Airtel and Jio.
- Telecom company will be fined Rs 10 lakh per shop for selling SIM without KYC.
- The new rules will come into effect from October 1. In such a situation, KY will have to be completed by 30 September 2023.
- Changes have also been made in the rules for purchasing SIM for consumers.
These rules changed for customers
The rules have also been changed for consumers purchasing SIM cards. Nowadays, whenever you buy a SIM card, Aadhaar verification is often done. The new rules state that it will be necessary to re-issue the SIM card even in case the existing card is damaged or lost. In other words, if you already have a SIM card and it’s lost or damaged, you can get it again.
