Are Mobile Companies Issuing Multiple Connections On a Single Name ?

Wouldn’t it be a shock if you found out that you possess 5 connections on your name but still you are unaware of the fact?

Though you are not billed for that but there are 5 strangers who are taking advantage of cellular communication on your name.

In a latest incident as reported by The Economic Times reveals that Vimla Gogri, 50, a resident of Vile Parle, had 3 active Vodafone numbers in her name.

With valid documents and 3 different application forms that not only carried her picture and permanent address, but also had a copy of her voter ID card attached was shown by ET to her then she came to realise the ugly truth.

Vimla Gogri bought a Vodafone SIM card six months ago. On July 30 three more Vodafone SIM cards were activated in her name.Mumbai Mirror traced Gogri to her small apartment in Vile Parle, all three SIMs were active. A call made to one of these numbers was answered by a woman. When told this number was registered in Gogri’s name, the woman disconnected the phone and then switched it off. Gogri said the signature on the Vodafone forms were not hers.

All three signatures on the forms were either in English or Hindi. Gogri, all her life, has signed in Gujarati and when a Vodafone spoke person was contacted he refused to comment and said that the company would need more time to investigate .

Same way Mumbai Mirror also traced and has in its possession another 600 Vodafone application forms used to issue SIM cards. Multiple forms in this bunch carry the same name, address and ID proof.

This means two things:

1. A dealer used one customer’s personal details to issue multiple cards to people who were not

in a position to produce ID proofs.

2. This dealer shopped in the now notorious ID market, where people’s personal details are available for a price. The going rate – Rs. 5 for an ID proof with an original photograph, and Rs. 50 for an ID with an original photograph and two supporting documents .

Just like Vodafone other operators can also play a spoilsport with your identity. In just the past six months, 54 FIRs have been registered against several retailers, cutting across a spectrum of service providers, for stealing a customer’s identity and then using it to issue multiple SIM cards to multiple customers.

Still no action has been taken up by the service providers who are legally bound to carry out a verification of a customer’s bona fides before activating a card.

This kind of thefts possess problems. The very first being that terrorists may misuse a mobile user’s identity, banking frauds, especially since some banks now allow customers to carry out transactions through their mobiles.

What’s your take on this incidents who is responsible the retailer or the operator? Leave us a comment below.