The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has cautioned mobile users against allowing SIM cards issued in their name to be used by others, warning that fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers and tampering with IMEI numbers can carry serious legal consequences.
There are serious consequences for anyone caught in this kind of scam. Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, using someone else’s identity for fraudulent SIMs or messing with a phone’s IMEI gets you a fine up to Rs 50 lakh and even jail time for three years.
