What is going on from
cloning mobile phone numbers is very alarming to say the least. It is high time therefore that such activities are thwarted in all cases
and rooted out for good
SIM cards cloning
That a gang of criminals have come up with an innovative approach of cloning mobile phone SIM (subscriber identity module) cards of very important persons (VIPs) for extortion, fraud and other crimes is a highly worrying piece of information. An exclusive report on this appeared in this newspaper yesterday. The victims include ministers, members of parliament, top bureaucrats, officials of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) and businessmen. There are a huge number of unregistered SIM users in the country. Taking advantage of it the criminals are carrying on their nefarious activities. They are using a special software tactfully to clone the numbers of VIPs. Technology is used for the advancement of a country but its misuse can bring disaster.
According to the report numerous calls were made from the Grameenphone (GP) number of Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed in the past few months for lobbying and transfers. Definitely the calls were not made by the minister. Those were done by the tricksters to achieve their own ends. His number was cloned by them. State Minister for Labour and Manpower Mujibul Haque Chunnu lodged a complaint with the BTRC that some criminals made several phone calls to the UNOs of Tarail and Karimganj in Kishoreganj using his GP number seeking some favour. Similarly, a call was made to the OC of a police station under DMP from a number of the IGP asking the former to release a criminal arrested a few days back. After verification the OC found that it was the official number of the IGP. He released the criminal immediately. Later on, it was known that the IGP didnt make the call and knew nothing about the incident.
What is going on in the name of cloning mobile phone numbers is very alarming to say the least. If it goes on like this not only criminal activities will spurt in the country, any kind of serious disruptive activities pertaining to the security of the country may also crop up based on this. It is high time therefore that such activities are thwarted in all cases and rooted out for good. The unregistered SIMs should be brought under the registration process immediately. The criminals involved in this malpractice should be identified and brought to justice. The software that is being used for cloning numbers must be brought under surveillance and strictest regulation. If needed, helps of foreign IT experts may be sought.
There must be no compromise where the security of the state is concerned. The government should go for toughest measures against those responsible. The mobile service providers and the members of the law enforcement agencies must play their due roles to the fullest for reining in the fraudsters.
