PNP ACG warns against selling registered SIM cards

The Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP-ACG) warned on Wednesday that selling registered SIM cards with verified names is a criminal offense.

PNP-ACG chief Police Major General Ronnie Francis Cariaga reported that seven people were recently arrested for selling registered SIM cards online. Among those arrested are four males and three females, including twins, in a series of operations across Metro Manila and Rizal province this month.

According to the investigation, these registered SIM cards were sold at prices ranging from P14 to P3,500, with cards linked to verified accounts with payment service providers fetching higher prices.

This month alone, authorities conducted multiple entrapment operations in locations such as Valenzuela City, North EDSA Highway in Quezon City, Pedro Gil and Ermita in Manila, and Cainta, Rizal, resulting in the arrest of these online SIM card sellers.

“To those selling SIM cards registered in their names and verified accounts linked to payment service providers, be aware that these may be used by cybercriminals for scamming activities, and you could be held liable if caught,” Cariaga cautioned.

Sellers of pre-registered SIM cards could face charges for violating the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.