NTC cracks down on SIMs linked to scam operations

Telcos given 15 days to verify accounts with more than 100 registered numbers.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has ordered mobile network operators to review accounts with more than 100 registered SIM cards as part of efforts to curb scams and financial fraud.

The directive targets unusually large SIM registrations that could be exploited in organized scam operations, individual fraud schemes, and the use of SMS blaster devices, which can send messages to multiple phones at once.

Under the memorandum order, telecommunications companies have 15 days from receipt to conduct know-your-client (KYC) checks on subscribers with more than 100 registered SIMs. The review will determine whether subscribers still possess and control the numbers registered under their names and whether the SIMs are being used for legitimate purposes.

The NTC said the measure aims to address financial fraud covered by the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), as well as deceptive business venture offers flagged by the Philippine National Police amid El Niño concerns.

The commission clarified that Republic Act 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, does not limit the number of SIM cards a person may register.

However, SIMs whose registered users cannot establish continued possession, control, and legitimate use may be deactivated. This includes SIMs sold or transferred without following the required registration procedures, an offense punishable by six months to six years of imprisonment and/or a fine of ₱100,000 to ₱300,000.

The NTC also urged the public to ensure that SIM cards they personally use, particularly those linked to banking apps, online platforms, and mobile payment services, are registered under their own names.

The agency added that deactivation would be permanent unless the affected subscriber can prove through valid identification documents that the SIM is registered in their name.

The NTC said legitimate subscribers who properly registered their SIMs and continue to use them lawfully are not the intended targets of the initiative.

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