Fake SIM trail leads Mumbai police to two retailers

Mumbai police have traced the trail of a fake SIM card used in a cyber fraud case to two mobile retailers in the city. The breakthrough came after officers analysed call data records and verified the point of sale of the SIM.

Raids and seizures

Teams from the cyber crime unit conducted raids at two shops in the suburbs. They recovered over 150 pre-activated SIM cards that were allegedly sold without following mandatory KYC norms.

Officials said the retailers had bypassed the verification process by uploading fake documents or photocopies. The SIMs were then used by cyber criminals to make fraudulent calls and send phishing messages.

How the trail led to the shops

The investigation began after a victim complained about a financial fraud. The police traced the number used in the crime to a SIM that was activated at one of the raided outlets.

During questioning, the retailer reportedly admitted to selling multiple SIMs without proper identity checks. He also named another shop that supplied similar pre-activated cards.

Both retailers have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Telegraph Act. They were released on bail after being produced before a magistrate.

Scale of the problem

Police suspect that hundreds of such SIMs may have been sold in the past few months. The seized SIMs belong to multiple telecom operators.

An officer said that the racket could be part of a larger network that supplies fake SIMs to fraudsters across the country. The department of telecommunications has been alerted about the loophole in the KYC process.

The retailers face charges of cheating, forgery and violating licensing conditions. If convicted, they could face up to three years in prison or a fine.

What happens next

The cyber crime unit is now scanning the call records of the seized SIMs to identify the end users. They are also checking if any other retailers in the city are involved in similar practices.