The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to launch “Project: SIM Check Mo” next week as part of the government’s efforts to combat cybercrime.
The project involves a text messaging service thru the DICT’s Hotline“1326” that provides every citizen the capability to validate in 10 seconds the partial identity and status of a SIM number of a suspected scammer.
All one needs to do is text SIM CHECK, space, plus the 11-digit number and send it to 1326.
The sender will then receive the status of the SIM, which will indicate whether it is already registered or not, the initials of the SIM owner, and a remark on whether it has a good or derogatory record.
“The project needs to be launched ASAP and immediately while we await the expiration of the 90-day extension period for the mandatory sim registration under Republic Act 11934,” DICT Executive Director Alexander Ramos of the agency’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said.
The official said the three-month extension is a “very long and dangerous time that can be taken advantage of by scammers to continue all sorts of scheming to swindle unsuspecting individuals.”
“Cybercrime prevention is a three-way shared responsibility between the telcos and the consumers-subscribers. The government acts as the supervising-cyber security to ensure that the public enjoys a safe cyberspace,” Norman Ancheta, OIC of the Inter Agency Response Center that handles the 24/7 operations of DICT’s Hotline 1326, said.
“Project SIM Check” is also in line with DICT Sec. Ivan John Uy’s priority of ensuring cyber security for the public while the country transitions to having all SIM card users registered by July 25, the deadline of the 90-day extension, the DICT said.
Ramos assured the public that compliance with all data privacy requirements is presently being ironed out with the legal liaison of the National Privacy Commission and the CICC.
“Compliance with the SIM Card Registration Law is simply analogous with responsible gun ownership. Do you want to have a community with thousands of unregistered firearms or licensed gun owners? If all the sim card owners are registered with the government, the chances of its users committing crimes will likely be less because they know the consequences,” he said.
