According to Techpoint Africa, the Communication Risk Information Centre (COMRiC) in South Africa played a key role in dismantling a significant SIM card fraud operation. This crackdown occurred in the Gauteng and Free State provinces and resulted in the apprehension of 48 individuals.
In Johannesburg, authorities detained 45 suspects, while three more were arrested in Bloemfontein. All of the suspects taken into custody are foreign nationals. The successful bust highlights the determination of COMRiC in tackling telecommunications-related crimes and underscores the ongoing challenges of combating fraud within the country.
Six Chinese nationals have been identified as the leaders of the SIM card fraud operation. Authorities confiscated more than two million SIM cards, all acquired illegally but not cloned or counterfeit, from different service providers. They also seized machines used for sending bulk SMS messages.
The commission reported that the arrests in Bloemfontein were the result of a comprehensive operation involving various police units, government agencies, private security firms, and forensic investigators. This collaborative effort led to the discovery of SIM cards from multiple providers in two residences located in Woodlands, Bloemfontein.
COMRiC CEO Thokozani Mvelase highlighted that the seized machines are connected to various criminal activities, such as identity theft, information theft, and unauthorized bank access. These illegal operations not only target individuals but also burden network providers.
The impact on network providers includes issues like network congestion and heightened security expenses. Mvelase emphasized that these criminal activities create significant challenges for the telecommunications industry, adding to the overall costs and complexities of maintaining secure networks.
In a related initiative, MTN declared last March its intention to target illegally registered SIM cards sold by its partners. As part of this effort, MTN introduced a policy to deregister any SIM cards that are not activated within 72 hours of their registration.
This policy aims to curb the misuse of SIM cards and enhance security measures. By ensuring that only properly activated SIM cards remain in use, MTN seeks to prevent fraudulent activities and improve the overall integrity of its network.
