A new system to mobile SIM card has come into effect from today, 24 August 2026. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom companies not to issue new SIM cards to those who have already exhausted their mobile connection limit. In most parts of the country, the limit is a maximum of nine mobile connections per person, while in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and some north-eastern regions the limit is six. The government has taken this step to stop the problem of fraudulent SIM cards. However, the question arises that if a fake SIM is found registered in the name of a person, what action will the government take against him?

**Why is it dangerous to have a fake SIM in your name?**
Suppose there is an active SIM card in your name – linked to your Aadhaar or other documents – even if you have never purchased it. Such a situation should not be taken lightly. Fraudulent SIMs can be used for cyber fraud, scam calls, OTP crimes or other illegal activities. Apart from this, a big problem can be that mobile connections appear linked to your name in government records. Therefore, you should keep checking from time to time how many mobile numbers are active in your name.

**First of all, check how many numbers are registered in your name**

The government provides a facility by which you can find out how many mobile numbers are active in your name. For this you can use the TAFCOP facility available on the government's 'Sanchar Sathi' service. By logging in with your mobile number, you can view the details of the connection issued in your name. If you see a number in the list that you never used or no longer use, there is also an option to report it. After receiving the report, the telecom operator investigates the matter and takes appropriate action.

**What to do if you find a fake SIM**

If you see an unknown mobile number registered in your name, then first note down its details. Then, report that number through the Communication Partner/TAFCOP portal. You will have to clearly state in the report that the number is not yours. Also, if you have an old SIM card that is no longer in use, it is better to deactivate it. This will reduce the number of unnecessary mobile connections registered in your name and avoid any hassles while getting a new connection in future.

**Action on exceeding 9-SIM limit**

The government has made it clear that from August 24, no new mobile connections will be given to customers who have already reached the limit of nine connections. Even if you have SIM cards from different service providers, this limit will not increase, as a total of nine active connections will already be registered in your name.

However, note that if any fake SIM card is found registered in your name, it will be deactivated immediately. If such SIM is not deactivated and later that number is used in cyber crime, then the police can directly interrogate you. Therefore, if there is any fake SIM running in your name, you should report it immediately. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom companies to identify such customers using Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). Apart from this, this system will also soon be capable of doing real-time verification.