Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Black market for SIM cards with ID thriving
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 31 - 12 - 2012


Faleh Al-Dubyani
Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Despite the strict rules and regulations imposed by the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) to put an end to sales of illegal mobile phone SIM and prepaid refill cards, vendors have managed to find ways to continue with their illegal activities.
Describing the sale of unregistered mobile SIM cards as harming the nation's economy and security, CITC issued a decree over the summer that made it obligatory for mobile phone users to enter their national ID or Iqama number in order to recharge their prepaid accounts or transfer credit to other mobile phone users.
“The procedure was aimed at ending the practice of anonymous persons misusing SIM cards,” said a CITC in a statement released in July.
The move was welcomed by residents who say unregistered pre-paid SIM cards are bought by telemarketers, scammers and people who make prank phone calls. Authorities, who were previously unable to track the owner of the SIM cards, hope the new measure will prevent abuse of the Kingdom's mobile phone services. However, in spite of the new rules, vendors are openly selling mobile phone SIM cards with valid national ID or Iqama numbers.
It is unclear whether the ID numbers sold with the SIM cards belong to expatriates and citizens who are unaware that their IDs are being illegally used or whether the CITC is monitoring telecommunications companies to make sure that SIM cards are only being sold to licensed vendors.
During a visit to Jeddah's Palestine St. where the city's largest mobile phone market exists, a large number of vendors could be seen sitting on sidewalks waiting for customers. Vendor Hadi Yamani said he received SIM cards along with valid ID numbers direct from his supplier whose identity he denied knowing.
“We have to sell them with ID numbers because you cannot refill a prepaid account without an ID. We tell buyers to transfer the SIM card under their names because it will be deactivated by the original owner in a month's time.
“I'm not sure who these IDs belong to, this is an answer the supplier can answer and I have never had direct contact with him,” said Yamani while adding that he had never encountered CITC agents.
“We do great business and the money is good. I've never run into CITC agents but I do encounter municipality inspectors on a regular basis. I'm not afraid of them though,” he added while refusing to elaborate.
Salem Al-Harbi, another illegal SIM card vendor, sits on a street corner with a box full of SIM cards. Al-Harbi, who claimed to make SR5,000 in sales and profits of up to SR700 a day, shed some light on how the illegal cards continue to make their way into the market.
“There are two ways to get SIM cards. Either the cards are issued to citizens or legal expatriates who in turn sell the cards for a profit or people working inside telecom companies leak SIM cards using people's names and ID numbers. Both ways are illegal and in violation of CITC rules and regulations,” he explained.
All attempts to reach the official spokesman of CITC, Sultan Al-Qahtani, for a comment failed.


Clic here to read the story from its source.