Since the SIM Registration Act came to a close and in full effect, the Department of Information and Technology (DICT) has managed to confiscate SIM cards said to be associated with money and cryptocurrencies, estimated to be worth Php1 billion.
In less than two months, the DICT has conducted raids, the biggest of which was in Pasay City where 25,000 SIM cards were seized. DICT Sec. Ivan John Uy, during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, unveiled that the operation came from a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facility.
Previously, the Department of Justice mentioned that the collected SIM cards were being used illicitly, such as with scams.
Per Uy, criminal syndicates were using the registered SIMs for their nefarious schemes and the various e-wallets as repositories for stolen money arising from their scams.
See also: How to check if your Smart, Globe, and DITO SIM is registered
Uy said that when they accessed the e-wallets, one of them contained Php50,000 while another contained Php100,000.
He also stated that text scams still exist amid the SIM registration law, citing individuals who used fake IDs to register and others trying to make a profit out of their registered SIM cards.
As for the requisitioned SIM cards, the DICT said they are planning to “cleanse” them. That is, in cooperation with the respective telcos behind the service in each SIM card.
In light of the events, Uy finds optimism in the result, highlighting how they have managed to identify the syndicate’s techniques. Further, he is considering the proposals calling to limit the SIM registration per individual to just three or four.
Via: ABS-CBN News