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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/Home Credit Philippines) |
Since the announcement of mandatory SIM registration late last year, many have been confused about what is it for and why is it important for us Filipinos. Surely, you have read some articles, heard radio commercials, and even seen TV ads encouraging you to go to your telco’s website or app and register your SIM. Still, you and your friends refuse to comply with the government mandate thinking how something as simple as an unregistered SIM can disrupt our lives. Here are several but highly urgent reasons why SIM registration is relevant and what will happen if you fail to register your SIM before the April 26, 2023 deadline.
Your SIM will get deactivated
Yes, the very SIM you use to text and call your loved ones when times are tough, the SIM that contains the number you use to send and receive money, pay bills or make other transactions through mobile apps will get deactivated. As mobile phones become more valuable and intertwined with everyday life, so do SIM cards. But what does it mean to have your SIM deactivated? This means you’ll entirely lose your prepaid load balance and receiving OTPs (One-Time Payments) for e-wallet and bank transactions would be impossible. Receiving updates from the government on your benefits, loans, etc. is another problem. You might need to contact each agency and undergo a long process to update your contact details. Also, following up and hearing back from your employment application can be more than tricky. Just imagine applying to your dream job only to lose your slot because your future employer cannot reach you. Having your SIM deactivated means you will become unreachable not only to your bank but to your contacts list as well. Colleagues, friends, and family who contact you using that SIM number won’t be able to do so once that SIM gets deactivated. So no incoming nor outgoing calls. You won’t be able to send or receive messages either.
Your broadband and prepaid SIM-powered mobile internet will not work
If you have been using or recently bought prepaid internet, you might wonder why it’s not working even after powering it up several times, loading the SIM, and reading and rereading the manual, even doing a little troubleshooting to make sure you started it correctly. The answer is this: your new SIM is not yet activated. As existing SIMs need to be registered, so do the ones you’re going to buy. Likewise, existing SIMs used for internet have to be registered or you risk rendering it useless.
You will have problem accessing your online accounts
Most of us use our contact numbers as login details on our social media accounts. In any case you logged out of your account or need to log in to a separate device, it will be troublesome for you to receive OTPs for two-way verification authentication. Yes, you’re sure to come up with a workaround for these. However, it will require you to go through a long process to resolve this issue. You can try contacting the applications’ help center and prove to them your identity through a series of authentication documents. You could also try personally going to the offices of these platforms. Or you can just register your SIM to avoid these hassles altogether.
Fighting security and data breach
Security and data breach are the top concerns of Filipinos about SIM registration, especially with the rising incidence of text and other mobile-related scams. Interestingly, these are the very same issues the SIM Registration Law wishes to address. It aims to minimize the risk of users falling victim to scams perpetrated through calls, texts, and online messages. It hopes to make device owners more accountable and responsible users of technology. The law likewise hopes to lessen the occurrence of crimes and make it easier to track down perpetrators of cybercrimes and fraud.
#SIMguradoAko, Register Now!
When you’re ready to register, simply go to your telco’s registration website, input your info, upload government ID and selfie, wait for the SMS confirmation and that’s it! You have now registered your SIM.
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| (Image Source: Iconic MNL/Home Credit Philippines) |
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| (Image Source: Iconic MNL/Home Credit Philippines) |
Reaffirming its commitment to be every Filipino’s partner Para Sa Life, Home Credit Philippines is urging everyone to register their SIM cards to comply with the SIM Registration Act through the #SIMguradoAko campaign, to help protect Filipinos against text and other phone-related scams. Through its Wais Sa Home initiative, the country’s leading consumer finance company has been actively campaigning against cyber fraud such as phishing, pharming, and spoofing to protect its customers. In line with its goal of promoting financial literacy and education, Home Credit aims to raise awareness on the basics of saving and budgeting and wise financial management. Amid the widening adoption of e-commerce, it encourages Filipinos to be digitally wise in investing and using the right money apps and to protect themselves against online risks and scams.
