{
  "id": 18487783,
  "title": "Police warn of SIM cards registered with stolen identities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/police-warn-of-sim-cards-registered-with-stolen-identities-18487783",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T11:14:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/police-warn-of-sim-cards-registered-with-stolen-identities/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Delta State Police Command has issued a warning about the fraudulent registration of SIM cards using stolen personal information. Victims of this crime may face criminal investigations and legal consequences for offenses committed with the fraudulent phone numbers. The police public relations officer, Superintendent of Police Edafe Bright, advised Nigerians to verify all phone numbers linked to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) at official telecommunications service provider offices and request removal of any unfamiliar lines. Bright explained that some small telecommunications outlet operators deceive customers during SIM registration by collecting personal details under the pretext of registration, but secretly use the information to register different numbers that could be sold to individuals involved in criminal activities. He cautioned that unsuspecting customers might unknowingly provide sensitive information, including their names and other personal details, without realizing their SIM cards are being registered with someone else's identity. After completing the fraudulent registration, the agents may tell customers that the network is poor and advise them to visit another outlet, which could subsequently lead to the SIM cards being sold to fraudsters and other criminals. Bright warned that any offense committed with the fraudulent SIM card could become the responsibility of the victim, making it difficult to prove that they were not the actual perpetrator. The police command is currently investigating a related matter but declined to provide further details due to the ongoing investigation. Nigerians are advised to visit the official offices of telecommunications service providers like MTN, Globacom, and others to obtain details of all phone numbers registered against their NINs. Bright emphasized that this exercise is necessary even for individuals who have registered their SIM cards through official channels, as they might have other phone numbers unknowingly linked to their identities. The police spokesperson also warned that criminals could exploit such numbers to perpetrate financial fraud, kidnapping and ransom-related offenses. It is crucial for Nigerians to protect their personal information and ensure that every phone number registered against their NIN is known to them. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and the police command urged residents to take proactive steps to prevent criminals from exploiting their identities.",
  "summary": "The Delta State Police Command has raised the alarm over the alleged fraudulent registration of SIM cards using unsuspecting Nigerians’ personal information, warning that victims could face criminal… Read More: https://punchng.com/police-warn-of-sim-cards-registered-with-stolen-identities/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}