In recent months, Indian authorities have intensified warnings about a quiet but fast-spreading digital threat: mobile numbers fraudulently issued on unsuspecting citizens’ Aadhaar identities. As the government expands its verification systems, a new campaign urges users to audit the SIM cards linked to their names a simple check that can determine whether their digital lives are at risk.
When a SIM Card Becomes a Security Risk
In India’s rapidly expanding digital economy, the mobile number has become a key that opens nearly every personal gateway bank accounts, government services, social-media logins, and financial apps. But this same dependency has created an opening that cybercriminals have learned to exploit.
According to material from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), criminals increasingly use forged Aadhaar cards or manipulated documents to issue SIM cards in someone else’s name. The ruse is often simple: once activated, the number can be used to intercept calls, receive OTPs and conduct transactions without the genuine subscriber ever knowing.
Officials say that if such a SIM is used for a crime, the legal liability may fall first on the person whose identity was used a revelation that has prompted rising public concern.
A Government Portal Built to Uncover Hidden Connections
To counter this surge, the government has strengthened its Sanchar Saathi platform, a digital tool that allows citizens to verify all mobile connections issued under their identity. The initiative, originally launched to curb telecom fraud, has become a central line of defense as cases involving impersonation and fake SIM issuance rise.
On the portal, users can access the “Know Your Mobile Connections” feature by entering their phone number, completing a CAPTCHA, and submitting an OTP. The system then reveals every active SIM card associated with their Aadhaar-linked mobile identity. Officials say that thousands of users have already discovered numbers they never applied for some dormant, others actively being used.
The Anatomy of a SIM Fraud: From Fake Portals to Forged Identity
Investigators describe a pattern that blends low-tech forgery with high-tech deception. Criminal groups create convincing fake websites to lure users into entering OTPs, which are then intercepted to carry out unauthorized SIM activation or account takeover attempts. In other cases, forged Aadhaar cards are used at retail outlets to obtain a SIM in someone else’s name.
Once active, the rogue SIM can be used to receive OTPs for banking credentials, facilitate stock-trading scams, or launder money across digital wallets. Because most Indian platforms treat the mobile number as a primary authenticator, possession of an illegally issued SIM becomes a powerful weapon.
Cybercrime units warn that even old numbers long unused by their rightful owners are vulnerable. A number that remains active, even if forgotten, may still be tied to financial accounts or email addresses
Public Awareness and the Push to Report Suspicious Numbers
Authorities have urged citizens to regularly audit their registered mobile connections and immediately report any unfamiliar or unused number. The Sanchar Saathi platform allows users not only to view but also to flag suspicious SIMs for deactivation. The process is designed to be swift: once a complaint is filed, the telecom provider initiates verification, and any illegally issued SIM is disabled.
