By Asaye Bankole
The Delta State Police Command has warned Nigerians against the fraudulent registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards using the personal information of unsuspecting members of the public, cautioning that victims could face criminal investigations over offences committed with such telephone numbers.
The police urged residents to visit the official offices of telecommunications companies to verify all phone numbers linked to their National Identification Numbers (NINs) and immediately request the removal of any unfamiliar numbers.
The warning was issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Edafe Bright, in a security advisory shared on X on Friday.
Bright alleged that some operators of small telecommunications outlets were engaging in fraudulent practices by collecting customers’ personal information under the guise of registering SIM cards while secretly using the details to register additional phone numbers without their knowledge.
According to him, the illegally registered numbers could subsequently be sold to individuals involved in internet fraud and other criminal activities.
He explained that unsuspecting customers often provide sensitive personal information, including their names and other identification details, believing that the information is required for their own SIM registration.
However, some fraudulent agents allegedly use the details to register entirely different telephone numbers.
Bright illustrated the practice, explaining that a customer who visits an outlet to register an MTN SIM card might be asked to provide personal information, only for the agent to secretly register another number using the customer’s identity.
He added that after completing the fraudulent registration, the agent might deceive the customer by claiming that the network was experiencing poor connectivity and advising them to visit another registration outlet.
The police spokesman warned that such illegally registered SIM cards could become tools for criminal activities, exposing the identities of innocent Nigerians to serious legal complications.
He cautioned that when criminals use telephone numbers registered with another person’s NIN to commit offences, the individual whose identity is linked to the number could become a subject of police investigation.
According to him, proving that the offences were committed without the knowledge or involvement of the registered individual could become difficult.
Bright disclosed that the command was already investigating a related case but declined to provide further information, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
He advised Nigerians to visit the official customer service centres of telecommunications operators, including MTN, Globacom and other service providers, to obtain a comprehensive list of all telephone numbers registered against their NINs.
He particularly urged subscribers to request the immediate delisting of any number they do not recognise or personally use.
The police spokesman emphasised that checking registered phone numbers was necessary even for individuals who had completed their SIM registration through official telecommunications outlets, as additional numbers could have been linked to their identities without their knowledge.
He further warned that criminals could exploit such fraudulent registrations to carry out financial scams, kidnapping operations and ransom-related transactions.
Bright stressed that individuals whose identities were used to register telephone numbers involved in such crimes could face serious difficulties during investigations.
He urged Nigerians to take the warning seriously, protect their personal information and avoid disclosing sensitive identification details to unauthorised SIM registration agents.
The police also reminded members of the public that ignorance of the law would not automatically exempt anyone from legal consequences, urging them to take preventive measures to ensure that their identities were not being used for criminal purposes.
The Delta State Police Command reiterated the need for vigilance during SIM registration and advised telecommunications subscribers to conduct their registrations and verification exercises only through authorised service centres.
The command said regular checks of telephone numbers linked to NINs would help Nigerians detect fraudulent registrations early and reduce the risk of identity theft and criminal exploitation.
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