SINCE the implementation of laws aimed at curbing abuse and ‘ghost use’ of cell phones by criminals to commit crimes, the underworld has apparently turn to ‘Sim card’ vendors to stay on top of their games, undetected. This newspaper has been reliably informed that a few persons employed by some Sim card vendors in the City, have been taking registrants photocopied details on file and register additional Sims in their name, even after the registrant had purchased a single Sim card and had left.

One city businessman alleged that during a routine query at a local telecommunications service provider, he discovered that over fifteen mobile phone numbers were registered in his name and address, when he had actually only registered four Sims in total, over the years.

He claimed that it took several days to actually have the services of the bogus registered numbers shut down, as staffers at the phone company were seemingly uncooperative.

He suggested that there might be some form of outside-inside collusion between the Sim card vendors and staff at the phone company.

During investigations, sources informed this reporter that most of the bogus Sims are usually sold to persons involved in  ‘call bypass’ or ‘black market call termination’, and naturally extend  itself to persons depending on untraceable communication in the underworld.

The Sim cards are usually sold for between $2,000 to 10,000 each depending on the buyer, and are usually dispense between three to six months.

In an invited comment, Michelle Benny, a Guyanese-born communications security analyst at British Telecoms (BT), indicated that even in countries with the most sophisticated call interception laws and technology, deterring identity theft during Sim card registration is like battling a needle in a haystack.

She added that such occurrences, as may be happening locally, is quite normal, but can evolve into a security problem if it is left unchallenged.

She commended the Guyana Government for its recent implementation of the communications interception bill, but suggested that additional laws might have to be enacted locally, to let Sim Card vendors be considered criminally responsible if ID information entrusted to them by registrants are unlawfully used for the benefit of others.

She added that only a senior staff at a Sim card vending location should be allowed to handle registrants ID details, and not every ‘Tom, Dick and Harry’, as is currently the case.

PULL QUOTE:
“…only a senior staff at a Sim card vending location should be allowed to handle registrants ID details, and not every ‘Tom, Dick and Harry’, as is currently the case.” –  Michelle Benny, a Guyanese-born communications security analyst at British Telecoms