Etisalat warns against fake SIM cards

Etisalat has warned its customers against obtaining duplicate SIM cards from illegal dealers, and advised using Etisalat's Tawam service to avoid any risks or problems. Recently, Etisalat issued advertisements warning customers against the tendency of some shops to make duplicates of mobile phone SIM cards.

"Such activities are illegal due to the absence of proper authorisation and control," Etisalat said in a statement to Gulf News.

Explaining the risks involved in copying an SIM card, Etisalat said people doing so may misuse the information contained in the cards and thus commit breach of privacy and confidentiality.

Additionally, financial problems may arise for customers when they find call charges on their bills that they have not made.

"Other problems could also take place. However, if anything does happen, only the owner of the card who willingly asked for his or her card to be duplicated will bear the responsibility," said Etisalat.

Customers interested in obtaining a duplicate SIM card can apply through Etisalat's Tawam service which allows customers to have a legal and secure copy.

Etisalat introduced the GSM dual 'Tawam' SIM cards for mobile phones at the beginning of the year. They allow two mobile phones to operate on the same number, eliminating the inconvenience of switching SIM cards between phones.

The service is available for both Wasel pre-paid and GSM post-paid mobile users and can even be used while roaming. This new feature is of particular benefit to subscribers who have two mobile phones such as a car phone or different models for work and home.

Until now, they either needed two numbers or had to swap the SIM card from phone to phone whenever they changed phones.

Additional benefits include more address book storage capacity and one monthly bill for all calls made on both phones.

To subscribe to this new service, customers can visit one of the 50 Etisalat branches, business centres or service centres located throughout the UAE and fill in the relevant application form, attaching a valid ID and collect their new Tawam SIM cards within a few days, said an Etisalat official.