KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — Did you give fake information to register a prepaid SIM card in Malaysia? You will only be given 20 working days to correct the information or risk losing that number forever, based on new rules.
Here's what will happen if your information is found to be inaccurate or false, based on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) new rules issued yesterday:
1. Notice period: The telco will give you a notice of three working days to correct the information.
If you do not update the information within these three days, your prepaid services will be suspended.
(This usually happens in cases of "false registration", such as when an invalid identification document was given, there were errors or no record found for the registration data, or there is invalid or inaccurate information.)
2. Suspension period: Your prepaid service will be suspended for 17 working days.
During the suspension, you can only receive calls or SMS text messages, but cannot make phone calls, send SMS messages, or access the Internet.
During the suspension, you will only be able to call your telco or make calls to emergency services through 999.
Your suspension will be lifted if you successfully provide accurate information within these 17 days.
This will be your last chance to update your information if you want to keep using this prepaid SIM card or number.
3. Termination: The telco will terminate your number if you fail to provide accurate and updated information during the suspension.
Three days before the suspension period ends, the telco will notify you that it intends to terminate the service.
Even if you make new prepaid SIM card registrations in the future, the telco does not have to issue the same number to you again.
Instead, the telco is allowed to recycle your terminated number and sell it to another prepaid SIM card buyer.
How telcos are required to keep you safe
When you register your prepaid SIM card, you can either go to a telco's official platforms (such as its service centre) or to a telco's authorised dealer.
A telco must check the background of any company that wants to be an authorised dealer, including its financial information and business track record.
If the telco believes an applicant has a "high risk of committing illegal activities", then the telco will reject the application and blacklist it.
The telco will carry out quarterly audits of its authorised dealers, including checks on whether any dealer has non-compliance issues (such as registering a prepaid SIM card without a person's consent, or using false information to register new numbers).
If the telco believes a dealer did not comply with MCMC's rules on prepaid SIM registration, the telco must immediately suspend the dealer's appointment and investigate.
If the dealer is found to have failed to comply, the telco shall immediately terminate and blacklist the dealer.
As part of efforts to keep consumers safe, the new rules also require telcos to provide a free service for you to check if your name was used to register prepaid SIM cards without your consent or knowledge.
Recommended reading:
- Prepaid SIM crackdown: Malaysians restricted to five cards per telco to fight scams
- New rules: MCMC says parents must register prepaid SIM cards for all children aged 12 to 17
- Tourists beware: Prepaid SIM cards now valid for only three months in Malaysia
- Malaysians, here’s how you can prevent scammers from using your name for prepaid SIM cards
- How many prepaid SIM can companies get in Malaysia? MCMC’s new rules explained
