SIM card sellers register with own biometrics then unregister after sale in Indonesia
Indonesia's communications ministry discovered SIM card sellers were registering new cards using their own facial biometric data and then unregistering them after customers purchased them, causing customers to lose access to the numbers. The practice violated the biometric registration rules that began on 1 July 2026.", "event_date": "2026-07-17", <parameter name="facts">[ { "claim": "Komdigi found that SIM card sellers were activating cards using their own biometric facial data before selling them to customers.", "source_url": "https://www.idntimes.com/tech/trend/komdigi-temukan-pelanggaran-registrasi-sim-pakai-wajah-pemilik-konter-00-h7csw-2nyc3m" }, { "claim": "Sellers then unregistered the cards after customers used them, causing customers to potentially lose access because the numbers were not registered under their own names.", "source_url": "https://www.cnnindonesia.com/teknologi/20260720111718-213-1382653/modus-penjual-nakal-terungkap-aktifkan-kartu-sim-pakai-wajah-sendiri" }, { "claim": "Biometric facial recognition registration for SIM cards became mandatory on 1 July 2026 across all mobile operators to prevent misuse of phone numbers.", "source_url": "https://www.idntimes.com/tech/trend/komdigi-temukan-pelanggaran-registrasi-sim-pakai-wajah-pemilik-konter-00-h7csw-2nyc3m" }, { "claim": "Edwin Hidayat Abdullah stated that using another person's biometric data violated requirements because card ownership data did not match the actual owner and harmed customers.", "source_url": "https://www.idntimes.com/tech/trend/komdigi-temukan-pelanggaran-registrasi-sim-pakai-wajah-pemilik-konter-00-h7csw-2nyc3m" } ]
What happened
Komdigi found that some SIM card sellers were activating SIM cards using their own biometric facial data before selling the cards to customers. The sellers then unregistered the cards after customers began using them, causing the customers to lose access to the numbers because they were not registered under their own names.
Reported impact
Customers who purchased SIM cards this way experienced harm when sellers unregistered numbers after sale, leaving customers without registered phone numbers and unable to access the service.
Index analysis
Komdigi's Director General Edwin Hidayat Abdullah stated that using another person's biometric data violated the registration requirements, as the card ownership data did not match the actual owner and harmed customers. He emphasized that registration must use the actual owner's identity and biometric data.
Governance controls
Biometric facial recognition registration for SIM cards became mandatory on 1 July 2026 across all mobile operators to prevent misuse of phone numbers by unauthorized parties. Komdigi conducted field checks to monitor compliance and found that most parties were following the regulations, though some were not.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.