Press Release - Gatchalian mulls amendments to SIM registration law to combat fraud and scams

Senator Win Gatchalian is considering introducing amendments to the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Law following the widespread use of (SIM) cards by perpetrators for fraud and scamming purposes.

"It is incumbent upon the government to safeguard unwary or unsuspecting Filipinos from any harm caused by fraudulent activities facilitated by cybercriminals, including POGO operations that serve as scam hubs to commit crimes," said Gatchalian, noting that POGOs may still operate clandestinely despite the total ban.

Gatchalian emphasized the need to identify individuals or organizations that enable the unlawful use of registered SIMs in illegal POGO operations to help legislators evaluate and strengthen relevant laws and policies, including the possible introduction of amendments to the SIM registration law. Among the amendments include limiting the number of allowed SIMs that can be registered per user and regulating Short Message Service (SMS) marketing, promotional, political or fundraising sent through SIMs.

Gatchalian emphasized that Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act, which was signed in October 2022, aims to deter the use of SIM-related technology in various illegal or scamming activities.

However, despite the measure's enactment, there has been a continued discovery of registered SIMs, cellphones, computers, and pocket Wi-Fi devices, especially in POGO operations that are engaged in various forms of online scams, such as love scams and cryptocurrency scams. These have been causing massive financial losses for unsuspecting victims.

Even with the President's directive to ban all POGOs in the country, the lawmaker said that there is still a need to address concerns about the use of registered SIMs in illegal POGO operations which facilitate money laundering, cybercrime, and other scamming activities.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Gatchalian earlier filed Senate Resolution 1054 which seeks to investigate the use of SIMs in illegal POGO operations. He noted that in raids conducted in POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga, law enforcers recovered numerous SIMs, along with hundreds of cellular phones and