The Independent, Independent TV reports on SIM cloning

BTRC swings into action

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) yesterday directed all the telecom operators to take necessary steps against cloning of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) of mobile phones belonging to subscribers. The regulator also asked the operators to follow its directives issued on December 13, 2013 to stop crimes using cloned SIM cards. On that day, the BTRC issued eight interim-instructions to all stakeholders concerned to stop spamming, spoofing, identity theft and transaction fraudulence.  
The directive came at an emergency meeting of the BTRC with representatives of telecom operators after The Independent published a report titled “VIPs’ SIM cards cloned” and private channel Independent Television aired an exclusive report in this regard on Thursday. BTRC Vice-Chairman Brig Gen (Retd) Ahsan Habib Khan presided over the meeting held in the afternoon. Earlier, in the morning, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim summoned Khan, also the BTRC acting chairman, and expressed her annoyance over the cloning of SIM cards. The reports by The Independent and Independent Television unveiled that scammers have been using cloned SIM cards of several very important persons (VIPs), including two ministers, MPs, top bureaucrats, PMO officials, and the inspector general of police (IGP), for high-profile crimes.
The reports also unearthed that all the cloned SIM cards that the reporters came across carry Grameenphone (GP) numbers. The well documented investigative reports stirred the Post and Telecommunications Ministry and the BTRC into action. Talking to The Independent, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim admitted the fact that the SIM cards of several VIPs have been cloned. “That’s why we are taking steps to re-register all the SIM cards because unregistered SIM cards are one of the main reasons behind crimes including SIM cloning,” she said. For this, the government has taken steps for SIM verification and as part of these steps, the telecom operators are sending information of their subscribers to the Election Commission, she added. “There can be no unregistered SIMs or SIMs with fake information as it is a matter of national security,” Tarana Halim asserted. According to BTRC sources, there are 12.80 crore active mobile phone SIM cards in the country.

 

 

 

The Independent, Independent TV reports on SIM cloning

BTRC swings into action

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) yesterday directed all the telecom operators to take necessary steps against cloning of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) of mobile phones belonging to subscribers. The regulator also asked the operators to follow its directives issued on December 13, 2013 to stop crimes using cloned SIM cards. On that day, the BTRC issued eight interim-instructions to all stakeholders concerned to stop spamming, spoofing, identity theft and transaction fraudulence. The directive came at an emergency meeting of the BTRC with representatives of telecom operators after The Independent published a report titled VIPs SIM cards cloned and private channel Independent Television aired an exclusive report in this regard on Thursday. BTRC Vice-Chairman Brig Gen (Retd) Ahsan Habib Khan presided over the meeting held in the afternoon. Earlier, in the morning, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim summoned Khan, also the BTRC acting chairman, and expressed her annoyance over the cloning of SIM cards. The reports by The Independent and Independent Television unveiled that scammers have been using cloned SIM cards of several very important persons (VIPs), including two ministers, MPs, top bureaucrats, PMO officials, and the inspector general of police (IGP), for high-profile crimes. The reports also unearthed that all the cloned SIM cards that the reporters came across carry Grameenphone (GP) numbers. The well documented investigative reports stirred the Post and Telecommunications Ministry and the BTRC into action. Talking to The Independent, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim admitted the fact that the SIM cards of several VIPs have been cloned. Thats why we are taking steps to re-register all the SIM cards because unregistered SIM cards are one of the main reasons behind crimes including SIM cloning, she said. For this, the government has taken steps for SIM verification and as part of these steps, the telecom operators are sending information of their subscribers to the Election Commission, she added. There can be no unregistered SIMs or SIMs with fake information as it is a matter of national security, Tarana Halim asserted. According to BTRC sources, there are 12.80 crore active mobile phone SIM cards in the country.