Calls for the required registration of SIM cards in the Philippines have reignited again amid the recent rising reports of scams involving fake bookings that victimize food and parcel delivery riders.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is advocating for the registration of prepaid phone numbers as it would help authorities trace scammers.
According to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, he is coordinating with mobile service providers and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to address these scams and other illegal activities.
Both Globe and Smart have expressed their support for a national registration, which requires legislation in Congress.
One relevant proposal is Senate Bill No. 176, which Senator Sherwin Gatchalian pushed as recently as January. The senator himself was a victim of a SIM card-related scam.
Earlier this month, the National Bureau of Investigation was also tasked to probe reports of fake bookings.
Fake bookings usually involve deliveries on a cash-on-delivery basis. In many cases, the scammers make use of the identity of other people to order items.
Once the items arrive, the unsuspecting recipients naturally refuse to take responsibility for the fraudulent delivery, and the courier often ends up paying for the items.
Via: ABS-CBN News