The Delta State Police Command has raised an alarm over the alleged fraudulent registration of SIM cards using personal information belonging to unsuspecting Nigerians, cautioning that victims could face criminal investigations and legal consequences for offenses committed with such phone numbers.
The command called on members of the public to visit the official offices of telecommunications service providers in order to check all phone numbers linked to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) and to request the removal of unfamiliar lines.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Edafe Bright, issued the warning in a security advisory posted on X on Friday, alleging that some operators of small telecommunications outlets deceive customers during SIM registration.
According to him, some agents collect customers’ personal details on the pretext of registering their SIM cards but secretly use the information to register other numbers, which could later be sold to individuals engaged in criminal activities.
He explained that unsuspecting customers might hand over sensitive information, including their names and other personal details, without realizing that the agents are registering another SIM card using their identities.
Bright said, “You can just go and say I want to register an MTN SIM card. They will tell you, okay, what’s your name? What’s your mother’s maiden name? What’s this? What’s that? And eventually, you will not even know that they are not registering your SIM card, but they are registering another SIM card entirely.”
He further noted that once the fraudulent registration was complete, the agents might inform customers that the network was poor and suggest they go to a different outlet.
The police spokesman cautioned that the SIM cards could later be sold to fraudsters and other criminals, putting innocent Nigerians’ identities at risk of being linked to criminal investigations.
“Whatever offense they commit with that SIM card, then your NIN, your name, and your other very important details, it becomes almost your responsibility, and it will be difficult to prove that it was not you who committed that particular offense,” he cautioned.
Bright stated that the command was looking into a related matter but declined to give further details since the investigation was still ongoing.
He urged Nigerians to go to the official offices of MTN, Globacom, and other telecommunications service providers to get details of all phone numbers registered against their NINs.
“My brother and my sister, any number that you find there that you know you are not using, please ask them to delist it. That’s the most important advice,” he warned.
He emphasized that the exercise was essential even for those who had registered their SIM cards through official telecommunications offices, pointing out that they might have other phone numbers connected to their identities without their knowledge.
Bright also cautioned that criminals could use such numbers to commit financial fraud, kidnapping, and ransom-related crimes.
“If they use your number to defraud somebody of 20, 30, or 40 million, my brother, my sister, it will be difficult for you to say you are not aware. If they use your number to collect ransom money, if they use your number to kidnap somebody, if they use your number to call for ransom money, it will be very difficult to say you are not aware,” he warned.
The police spokesman encouraged residents to safeguard their personal information and to make sure they were aware of every phone number registered against their NIN.
He further reminded Nigerians that not knowing the law was no excuse and called on them to take proactive steps to stop criminals from exploiting their identities.
The Delta State Police Command again stressed how important it is to stay vigilant when dealing with SIM registration agents and advised subscribers to use official telecommunications service centers for registration and verification.
