Hong Kong authorities deactivate more than 1 million SIM cards after owners fail to complete real-name registration

Commerce and Economic Development Bureau says telecoms companies cancelled about 1.18 million SIM cards in 12 months to end of January

Bureau says real-name registration requirement effective in cutting down on number of scams in Hong Kong

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People queue up to register for SIM card at a support station in the Wong Tai Sin MTR station. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 8:24pm, 18 Apr 2024Updated: 11:46am, 19 Apr 2024

Hong Kong authorities deactivated more than 1 million SIM cards in the past year after their owners failed to complete real-name registration, an enforcement action labelled as effective in reducing the number of scams.

The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau told lawmakers on Thursday telecoms companies cancelled about 1.18 million SIM cards in the 12 months to the end of January as the users had failed to comply with the regulation.

An additional 1.33 million cards were rejected for registration due to incomplete applications, it added.

The regulation took effect in September 2021, mandating all SIM card users in Hong Kong register their personal information such as their name, date of birth and identity card number before February 2023. Up to 10 cards can be registered under a single name.

In 2021, Sonny Au Chi-kwong, the undersecretary for security at the time, was asked whether the 2019 anti-government protests and the national security law were driving the change. He said the policy was designed to tackle the increasing prevalence of organised crime and deception.

Prepaid SIM cards for sale in Sham Shui Po. Last year, police arrested individuals suspected of using false personal information to register a large number of prepaid phone cards, with 60,000 cards involved. Photo: Edmond So

Citing data from police, the bureau said on Thursday the new measure was effective in cutting down on the number of scams in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong authorities deactivate more than 1 million SIM cards after owners fail to complete real-name registration

Commerce and Economic Development Bureau says telecoms companies cancelled about 1.18 million SIM cards in 12 months to end of January Bureau says real-name registration requirement effective in cutting down on number of scams in Hong Kong

Commerce and Economic Development Bureau says telecoms companies cancelled about 1.18 million SIM cards in 12 months to end of January

Bureau says real-name registration requirement effective in cutting down on number of scams in Hong Kong