Anonymous SIM cards: are really anonymous?
Well, the list of so-called benefits of using an anonymous SIM card is apparently quite long, as the scammers pretend:
- Calls can be made or received from anywhere in the world. Full list of countries (it's not every single country included, we just let you know) is offered to the buyer only after payment. Which obviously is an unfair approach.
- No deposits.
- No ID required.
- Without full written requests.
- No monthly bills.
- Additional SIM cards available at the same price.
- Online top-up at anytime.
All above mentioned are true. But not these "advantages" consists the scam.
These are actually the standard features of a prepaid SIM card. In fact, anonymous SIM cards are nothing but prepaid SIM cards purchased from countries where you do not need an ID to purchase a SIM and international roaming charges are relatively low. In general these SIM cards come from Asian countries and some EU countries including Belgium, Denmark, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, .Bulgaria, Andorra, Monaco, Belarus etc.
This business has a relatively success only in countries that can not be purchased a prepaid SIM card without showing an photo ID. Not just scammers but even serious and reputable companies rely on such scams, unfortunately.
Anonymous SIM cards are really anonymous? The short answer: are not at all anonymous.
Extended answer: a prepaid SIM card is anonymous only to the common people who can not find easy the SIM user details. A simple phone number will not lead to user identification unless he will make serious mistakes or if it does not intend to protect his identity. If the SIM card is used for a sufficiently long period (months or years), there is a possibility that the user identity to be determined by using simple investigative techniques, which are readily available to every detective or skilled people.
But when it comes to the law enforcement agencies that will want to find a prepaid ("anonymous") SIM card user's identity, the situation changes radically: no chance to hide your identity. Whether using the network operator or through lawful interception systems, finding the identity of any prepaid SIM user is a matter of a few days or even hours.
What exactly can not hide an "anonymous" SIM card?
- Can not hide the phone location and default user. The explanation is simple: to be used (to make any calls), any SIM card have to register on the local GSM network, no matter the country and carrier that issued the SIM. This means that the SIM card will be permanently connected to the GSM network. The operator can quickly perform localization procedures (GSM triangulation), at the law enforcement request. In urban locations the location tracking accuracy is 50 meters or less. Moreover, there are plenty of GSM interceptors that are having location tracking capabilities.
If the situation requires, the suspect can be identified, located and arrested based on location tracking.
- Voice calls, SMS and data traffic cannot be hidden. When an anonymous SIM card user will attract the law enforcement agencies attention, that particular user will not be anonymous anymore: they will know the call list, voice calls content, text content of SMS, persons with whom he communicated, will would make a profile of the target user based on its habits an communications pattern, etc. And all this after a few days of using the "anonymous" SIM card.
Depending on performance of GSM interception systems and network equipment, law enforcement agencies and the carrier will have access to various data: target GPS location (more accurate than GSM location), phone book, data traffic etc.
At this point you can draw a conclusion: an anonymous SIM card is not at all anonymous. The fact that the average person can not find information about the prepaid SIM user, does not make that SIM to be anonymous. Without hiding around the bush any user of such a SIM card is hoping not only to remain anonymous to the average Joe, but also to stay anonymous to the law enforcement agencies. Is that possible? Not at all.
Basically, selling prepaid SIM cards pretending to be anonymous SIM cards is just another scam, and resembles (in a funny way) selling a nanny cam as a spy cam. Which you have to agree, is hilarious.
Well, the list of so-called benefits of using an anonymous SIM card is apparently quite long, as the scammers pretend:
- Calls can be made or received from anywhere in the world. Full list of countries (it's not every single country included, we just let you know) is offered to the buyer only after payment. Which obviously is an unfair approach.
- No deposits.
- No ID required.
- Without full written requests.
- No monthly bills.
- Additional SIM cards available at the same price.
- Online top-up at anytime.
All above mentioned are true. But not these "advantages" consists the scam.
These are actually the standard features of a prepaid SIM card. In fact, anonymous SIM cards are nothing but prepaid SIM cards purchased from countries where you do not need an ID to purchase a SIM and international roaming charges are relatively low. In general these SIM cards come from Asian countries and some EU countries including Belgium, Denmark, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, .Bulgaria, Andorra, Monaco, Belarus etc.
This business has a relatively success only in countries that can not be purchased a prepaid SIM card without showing an photo ID. Not just scammers but even serious and reputable companies rely on such scams, unfortunately.
Anonymous SIM cards are really anonymous? The short answer: are not at all anonymous.
Extended answer: a prepaid SIM card is anonymous only to the common people who can not find easy the SIM user details. A simple phone number will not lead to user identification unless he will make serious mistakes or if it does not intend to protect his identity. If the SIM card is used for a sufficiently long period (months or years), there is a possibility that the user identity to be determined by using simple investigative techniques, which are readily available to every detective or skilled people.
But when it comes to the law enforcement agencies that will want to find a prepaid ("anonymous") SIM card user's identity, the situation changes radically: no chance to hide your identity. Whether using the network operator or through lawful interception systems, finding the identity of any prepaid SIM user is a matter of a few days or even hours.
What exactly can not hide an "anonymous" SIM card?
- Can not hide the phone location and default user. The explanation is simple: to be used (to make any calls), any SIM card have to register on the local GSM network, no matter the country and carrier that issued the SIM. This means that the SIM card will be permanently connected to the GSM network. The operator can quickly perform localization procedures (GSM triangulation), at the law enforcement request. In urban locations the location tracking accuracy is 50 meters or less. Moreover, there are plenty of GSM interceptors that are having location tracking capabilities.
If the situation requires, the suspect can be identified, located and arrested based on location tracking.
- Voice calls, SMS and data traffic cannot be hidden. When an anonymous SIM card user will attract the law enforcement agencies attention, that particular user will not be anonymous anymore: they will know the call list, voice calls content, text content of SMS, persons with whom he communicated, will would make a profile of the target user based on its habits an communications pattern, etc. And all this after a few days of using the "anonymous" SIM card.
Depending on performance of GSM interception systems and network equipment, law enforcement agencies and the carrier will have access to various data: target GPS location (more accurate than GSM location), phone book, data traffic etc.
At this point you can draw a conclusion: an anonymous SIM card is not at all anonymous. The fact that the average person can not find information about the prepaid SIM user, does not make that SIM to be anonymous. Without hiding around the bush any user of such a SIM card is hoping not only to remain anonymous to the average Joe, but also to stay anonymous to the law enforcement agencies. Is that possible? Not at all.
Basically, selling prepaid SIM cards pretending to be anonymous SIM cards is just another scam, and resembles (in a funny way) selling a nanny cam as a spy cam. Which you have to agree, is hilarious.
Untraceable SIM card scam, on antitap.com
More blog entries about the scams on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and gsmsecret.com:
RSS Feed