The End of Anonymity? Minister Hopes to Ban Unregistered SIM Cards Within a Month 0 12

In an interview with Latvian Radio, the politician explained that the Ministry of the Interior has proposed banning the use of unregistered SIM cards that are not linked to a specific individual. This is necessary to limit fraud committed over the phone.

In many European Union countries, unregistered SIM cards are prohibited, which is why such fraud is concentrated in those states where such regulation is still absent, including Latvia, noted Kozlovskis.

He is confident that this proposal will spark discussions; however, the minister hopes that the issue can be resolved within a month.

As reported, opposition deputies have submitted a request to the Minister of the Interior, demanding clarification of his actions and responsibilities in the fight against phone fraud.

The deputies also inquired whether a complete ban on "SIM box" services is being considered, which, in their opinion, have proven effective in other countries as a significant step towards ending anonymous fraudulent calls.

As previously reported, at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy of the Legal Commission of the Saeima, board member of the Financial Sector Association Janis Brazovskis pointed out that last year various methods led to the theft of at least 15 million euros from residents, with lonely elderly individuals seeking communication opportunities primarily becoming victims of fraudsters.