# Untraceable SIM cards



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Albert had a really nasty text message on his mobile 

He tried phoning the number ...no answer so he texted that I think you have a wrong number if not who are you?

Reply ,no right number , repeat of nasty message 

Albert phoned the police who said they had tried phoning...no answer but were now texting the number with a warning, so they at least took it as an offensive post 

Received another text, sorry wrong number, but to a name that wasn’t Albert 

I recon that all SIM cards should be identifiable , had never occurred to us before how an anonymous SIM card could be used 

We were a bit shaken but the police response was great 

Sandra


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Similar been on BBC news tonight that all PAYG SIM cards be registered.
This was due to 'County Lines' drug gangs.
But it still won't stop foreign SIM sellers.

Ray.


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

As it happens the allegations could be easily refuted 

But really nasty 

Who would get pleasure from posting that ?

Sandra


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I guess the same nutters as hackers Sandra.

Ray.


----------



## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

aldra said:


> As it happens the allegations could be easily refuted
> 
> But really nasty
> 
> ...


It's not about pleasure, it's those that feel they could extort cash from you, the old 'no smoke without fire play' it's how they roll and survive.

You did the right thing.

Terry


----------



## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

What a nasty experience Sandra.



raynipper said:


> Similar been on BBC news tonight that all PAYG SIM cards be registered.
> This was due to 'County Lines' drug gangs.
> But it still won't stop foreign SIM sellers.
> 
> Ray.


Yes, saw that - it makes sense.

When you say foreign sellers do you mean the selling of foreign sim cards? Would they not soon become inactive in UK?

I can't remember if it was general abroad but certainly in France, when buying a French sim I had to produce ID.

Thank goodness these days are gone! Tho they might be coming back again.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I have bought in Holland without ID and would assume it's possible online. Then there are boot sale sellers.

Ray.


----------



## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi all

you just need to buy a pre paid card and you can do what you want

they are usually available in small corner shops 

i have just got one here in portugal for E5 and we have used it to call friends in america

barry


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Compulsory registration would ensure that honest people complied, otherwise it'd be a joke. It's just another unconsidered policy being articulated before it's been considered. There'd be dozens of ways round it for the dishonest, not least as Barry has just said buying foreign ones and using them in the UK. A criminal won't be too worried about the cost of calls.

This proposal would just start a new criminal industry. I bet there are a fair few already planning ways to cash in on it should it happen.

I'm not saying it isn't something to be aspired to, just pointing out it wouldn't be effective in making criminals traceable.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Just looked on E-Bay for SIMs Alan and there are 20,000 adds of which half are foreign.

Ray.


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

The can't even stop illegal immigrants which are fairly large items. They can't stop tobacco smuggling, it's bulky. Apparently container loads of upmarket cars are shipped out regularly. There are many examples. How could they hope to stop things as small as sims? Would 1,000 sims, minus the surrounding cards, fit in a spectacle case?


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes and apparently hundreds of mobile phones get smuggled into our prisons on a regular basis. Some security?

Ray.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

In the ideal world it would be superb,

But then in the ideal world it would not be needed as criminality, power play, extortion, blackmail, and other such criminal acts would not exist.

And unicorns would wander free.


----------



## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

This will be another control like who can make number plates and needed ID to open a bank account that impacts normal law abiding people and is just minor annoyance to criminals.
It never fails to amaze me how they introduce controls that fail to work and then never remove those failed controls.

And as said above they are so easily smuggled its pointless.


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I suppose the same people who are to be excluded from voting may find themselves excluded from having a sim card.

The banking one was amazing. I banked at the same branch for years and was in there several times each week. Always on a Tuesday to hand over my payroll information and usually other days too. I knew all the staff and the manager and had done in most cases for many years. One day they didn't want to deal with me till I completed identity checks. We agreed that I'd bring two forms of photo ID on my next visit. Unbelievable, and yet they had no option but to do it in order to comply.

Great word comply. "You must comply, resistance is useless". Unfortunately in may cases that is quite true. You can bet that part of this current regime's hankering for control will include controls on both leavers and remainers.

I'm not against there being steps to avoid money laundering but I think that highlighting unusual or insupportable activity might do the job very well.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Following America where an old gray haired wrinkly is asked for ID to buy 'liquor'. 

Ray.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

erneboy said:


> I suppose the same people who are to be excluded from voting may find themselves excluded from having a sim card.
> 
> The banking one was amazing. I banked at the same branch for years and was in there several times each week. Always on a Tuesday to hand over my payroll information and usually other days too. I knew all the staff and the manager and had done in most cases for many years. One day they didn't want to deal with me till I completed identity checks. We agreed that I'd bring two forms of photo ID on my next visit. Unbelievable, and yet they had no option but to do it in order to comply.
> 
> ...


You should experience the control that banks in France exercise over bank accounts.....

If an unexplained amount arrives in your account.... it doesn't get there - they seize it and if you don't expect it and realise, they don't tell you and hang glider on to it....

There are many, many other similar inconveniences of banking in France but that is what we have to live with.

But, there are many advantages we realise as we drive around.....

.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

It was just the opposite for me Dave. I had a large amount deposited into my account from a Avocat and within 24 hours my branch manageress called me to suggest where to put it for the best returns.

Ray.


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well if you are on the end of it

Phone the police 

Our daughter who figured in it said

Phone the police Dad 

It shakes you up , and we pride ourselves on being savvy

A social work manager, a special needs advisor 

Retired and old 

If I wasn’t retired I’d have taken it in my stride 

I was a fighter 

But sadly , still a fighter outside , inside unsure of this modern day means of hurting people 

My grandkids will be along in a minute to sort us out 

Can you believe they span from 26 yrs to 16 months 

I can’t 

Sandra


----------



## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I find the”delete” facility works very well for unsolicited messages of all sorts.

Simply delete the text and bar the number it came from, takes seconds.

Andy


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

It probably does Plod 

But that’s not how it feels

You feel shocked, unbelieving that anyone texted you with that message 

It has to be a wrong post , you hope 

How good to just feel sod off 

That takes a little time 

Yep it’s now sod off 

Our daughter says sod off

Our grandkids say sod off

But what about those who don’t have anyone to say...sod off 

Sandra


----------



## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

It’s unexpected, its clearly from some saddo who clearly doesn’t actually know you, you don’t want it so delete it!! forget it ever appeared, and most importantly, stop getting yourself wound up over it!!!! 

Andy


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Oh it’s deleted 

The contents aren’t 

They stay in the mind 

Who could have posted that, to our number 

And why ?

Sandra


----------



## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

Penquin said:


> You should experience the control that banks in France exercise over bank accounts.....
> 
> If an unexplained amount arrives in your account.... it doesn't get there - they seize it and if you don't expect it and realise, they don't tell you and hang glider on to it....
> 
> ...


They do the same in the UK. When my mother died one of my brothers (executor to the will) paid 4 of us our share (only a few thousand pounds each) One payment went through the rest didn't. Money just vanished.
Chased and it had been diverted to a fraud account. They took weeks to resolve as only one guy worked on it and he was swamped.


----------

