Easy availability of pre-paid Sim cards has seemingly become a boon for criminals. According to a report, using illegally procured Sim cards to commit criminal acts is becoming a new trend with criminals. Since the cards used by criminals to perpetrate crimes, especially abductions and extortions, are illegally procured, it is difficult for the police to obtain details of the phone users, call history and track the person at the other end of the line. The service providers seem to be interested only in making a profit by selling such cards, but the authorities too do not appear to be bothered much about this. Therefore, stolen Sim cards have become an increasingly useful tool in the hands of criminals.

Furthermore, when people lose their cards and do not immediately report it, there is always the risk of the cards getting into wrong hands. To make matters worse, some people are even involved in the illegal trade of cards; they buy many cards only to sell them at a higher price to people who require them urgently. The authorities have found it difficult to keep a tab on the illegal procurement of Sim cards, as even informed users do not hesitate

to flout legal procedures to obtain them. While the public should be made aware of the need to follow legal rules in this connection, the service providers and the government should take necessary steps to curb the illegal practice.