Decided to change SIM card ownership? While not unreasonable, the process varies from country to country and carrier to carrier. Regardless, the basic criteria remain more or less the same, so our study will still be useful. Nowadays, SIM cards in the wrong hands can wreak havoc on the real owner. Remember, your phone number is an important key to unlock your bank or social media accounts, and employ two-factor authentication. Moreover, it’s unlawful to use a SIM card you don’t own officially.
If you find an unknown one, break, throw it away, or bring it to the carrier to prevent its misuse. If your SIM is lost, call your service provider and block it immediately. When you plan to hand your SIM card over to somebody you know, change the ownership first. This applies even if you have great relations with the person whom you are giving the SIM card. Always ensure that the SIM card gets officially transferred to their name. The exact process to change the ownership of the SIM card varies but remains relatively easy most of the time. You will learn about this in detail in the following sections.
How to change the ownership of a SIM card?
Here are some basic and common steps to take if you want to transfer the ownership of a SIM card. Remember, both the existing owner and the new owner must be willing to do the deal. You can’t transfer the ownership if one of the two parties is not willing to go through with it. Here are the instructions:
- Visit the authorized local outlet of your SIM carrier.
- Submit the mandatory documents of the existing owner and the new owner of the SIM connection. Those documents could be your driving license, civil ID, passport, and so on. Essentially, anything that has your personal information such as name and address.
- No Objection Certificate from the existing owner and Letter of Acceptance from the new owner must be submitted. You can obtain these two forms either in store or on the official website of the carrier.
- After the form verification finishes, the new owner will get a new SIM card with the same number and plan. It may take a few days to get the new SIM activated.
The process may vary slightly depending on the country you live in and the service provider you have. Some carriers offer this service online, while others don’t. In many countries, there are no strict rules to transfer SIM ownership.
Why should I transfer SIM ownership?
SIM ownership transfer is more beneficial for the old user than the new one. The old user’s SIM card can be misused by the new user, even if they are a trustworthy person. If there is some wrongdoing on the part of the new user who used the SIM card without transferring, the old user will be held guilty by the law. After all, the SIM is still registered on the old user’s name.
That’s why it is not recommended to let your teenage child use your SIM card if they are ineligible to get one for themselves. If they do something wrong, you will be the culprit in the eyes of the law. Hence, it is appropriate that only the real owner of the SIM card shall use it and nobody else.
Precautions to take when someone uses your SIM card without ownership change
There are certain cases when you have to allow somebody to use your SIM card without changing its ownership officially. Though that’s unavoidable, considering the length and permanency of the procedure, be careful. That person must be extremely trustworthy and the duration they get to use your SIM card must be short.
Also, make sure that the SIM card is used in front of you so that there are no chances of mishap. For example, if a stranger asks you to lend your cellphone to make an emergency call, let them do it in front of you. If they are a family member, you can be less concerned, but don’t be careless. Always remember that even a single call or SMS can be harmful if it is malicious.
When can I choose a new owner of a SIM card?
Changing your SIM ownership, as mentioned earlier, is a different game depending on your country and your network provider. There are some common aspects of changing SIM ownership applicable everywhere. For instance, the new user must be a resident of your country as a native cannot transfer the ownership of their SIM to somebody who is a tourist. If the SIM connection is under the scrutiny of the law, its ownership cannot be given away either. If the new user doesn’t have the required documents, then the ownership can’t be transferred to them. You can’t force somebody to take or give the SIM card’s ownership—both parties should be willing first.
It is clear from the article that the ownership of the SIM card is transferable. Moreover, it is a straightforward process too. If everything required is available, the ownership can be transferred hassle-free. It is also recommended for the new user to check the background of the old one before taking their SIM card’s ownership. A wrong person’s SIM card can land you in trouble, so be careful. SIM ownership transfer is a legal way to use somebody else’s number as yours. Therefore, make sure you don’t use the SIM card without it, even if you both agree mutually.