PHILIPPINES – Globe cautions its customers against offers of SIM registration assistance online and advises them not to share personal information to protect their data security and privacy.
There are already reports of individuals taking advantage of the SIM registration requirement. They offer their services through social media either for free or for a fee and request the name, photo, valid ID, birthday, cell phone number, and address of SIM users.
Such personal information, when in the wrong hands, may be used to impersonate their owners, access their accounts, steal money or other fraudulent activities. Identity thieves may also open accounts in another person’s name, run up debt, or commit crimes, causing damaged reputation and financial problems.
“We want to remind our customers to be wary of these types of offers and to only use official channels for their SIM registration,” said Irish Salandanan-Almeida, Globe Chief Privacy Officer. “Your personal information is valuable and we urge you to protect it from those who may want to use it for unlawful purposes.”
Instead of seeking help from unknown individuals, customers may register their SIMs for free online. Registration through the GlobeOne app will also start later this month. They may also ask a trusted family member or friend for assistance.
Starting February 2023, Globe will also have assisted registration sites for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and users of basic or feature phones. The list of Globe’s registration sites will be announced through our official websites in the coming weeks.
There are 87.9 million SIMs under the Globe network. So far, over 7 million have registered.
To make the SIM registration process accessible and convenient for all, the company is offering multiple channels for registration. Customers are encouraged to take advantage of these options and complete their SIM registration before the deadline on April 26, 2023 to avoid the risk of SIM deactivation.
The SIM Registration Act, which requires mobile phone users in the Philippines to register their SIMs with their service providers, is being implemented to address the growing problem of fraudulent activities enabled by anonymous SIM use.
