A 46-year-old woman who owns a handphone shop and a 41-year-old man who works for her, are set to face charges in court on August 14th for their alleged involvement in the misuse of other people’s particulars to register over 20 prepaid SIM cards, according to a press release by the Singapore Police Force earlier today (13 August).
Unveiling the Accused
The accused individuals have been identified as a 46-year-old woman who operated a handphone shop and a 41-year-old man who worked as her shop assistant. Their alleged misdeeds transpired during a period spanning from September 2021 to January 2022.
The crux of the allegations lies in the misuse of customer particulars during the process of purchasing SIM cards.
Customers who provided their identification documents when buying SIM cards from the shop, unknowingly fell prey to a scheme involving the illicit registration of multiple prepaid SIM cards.
This intricate web of deceit is believed to have been woven through the exploitation of terminal devices and applications.
The accused individuals are set to face charges on 14 August of conspiring to cheat telecommunications companies into registering the fraudulent SIM cards.
Additionally, the duo will also be charged with the unauthorized modification of computer materials.
Potential penalties
If found guilty of cheating under Section 417 of the Penal Code, the accused could potentially face a prison sentence of up to three years, a hefty fine, or both.
Similarly, the act of unauthorized modification, as outlined in Section 5(1) of the Computer Misuse Act, carries a fine that does not exceed S$10,000, a prison term of up to three years, or a combination of both.
Safeguarding Personal Information
To prevent misuse and exploitation, the police advised the public to maintain a clear view of their identification documents whenever handing them over to others.