Mobile users can check the number of SIM cards issued in their name through the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi website. The facility allows users to identify mobile connections registered against their identity and report numbers they do not recognise.
Mobile SIM cards are used by almost everyone today. Mobile numbers play an important role in banking, online payments, government schemes and services related to essential documents. If another person obtains a SIM card using someone else’s identity or documents, it can create problems for the person whose details have been used. In some cases, individuals may not even know how many mobile connections have been issued in their name. Checking registered SIM cards is therefore important.
Reports of 1.569 million SIM cards being disconnected in Patna have brought attention to the need for mobile users to check how many connections are registered in their names and whether any unfamiliar numbers are in use. However, the available information does not provide detailed clarification on the period during which these SIM cards were disconnected, the reasons for the action or the scope of the operation. Official confirmation is therefore necessary before linking the figure to any specific category of fraudulent SIM cards.
Users can check mobile connections registered in their names from home through Sanchar Saathi, the official website of the central government's Department of Telecommunications. The portal offers a ‘Know Your Mobile Connections’ facility that allows users to check how many mobile connections have been issued in their names.
Users must first visit the official website at https://sancharsaathi.gov.in. They can then select the relevant mobile connection option and enter their mobile number. After entering the captcha, they must complete verification through a one-time password (OTP).
Once verification is complete, a list of mobile connections associated with their identity may be displayed. Users should review the listed numbers carefully to identify connections they recognise and those they have not obtained.
If the list contains a mobile number that the user has not obtained or does not use, a complaint can be submitted through the relevant option available on the portal. Sanchar Saathi provides a facility to identify and report such connections.
Users should provide accurate information while submitting a complaint and follow the instructions available on the portal. Following submission, the relevant telecom service provider and the department may investigate the matter in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
Timely reporting is important when a fraudulent SIM card or an unfamiliar mobile connection is identified. A SIM card issued using another person's identity may be used for fraud, fraudulent calls or other illegal activities.
However, users should verify whether the connection has actually been issued in their name before taking further action. They can then submit a complaint through the official portal and contact the relevant mobile service provider if necessary.
Reporting an unfamiliar number does not mean that the connection will be disconnected immediately. The complaint must be investigated, and any disconnection must follow the applicable rules and procedures.
Users should also avoid sharing OTPs received on their mobile numbers with unknown individuals and remain cautious when using identity documents. Checking mobile connections registered in their names periodically can help users identify unauthorised connections and take timely action against potential misuse.
