Indonesia biometric SIM registration hits 9.3 million, fraud scheme revealed

The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kominfo) reported that 9.3 million mobile‑phone users had completed biometric facial registration for their SIM cards by 19 July 2026, following the nationwide rollout that began in July 2026. The government aims to raise that figure to 18 million by the end of 2026 and is promoting education, mandatory registration for new customers and cooperation with operators to curb misuse and identity fraud.

Kominfo also uncovered a fraudulent practice where some sellers activate SIM cards using their own facial scans before selling them to consumers. Director‑General Edwin Hidayat Abdullah said, "Masih ada yang coba‑coba seperti itu. Kartu diaktivasi dengan wajah penjual, lalu dibawa oleh pelanggan. Setelah digunakan, kartu tersebut di‑unregister, sehingga pelanggan yang dirugikan." The ministry warned that such manipulation violates registration rules and undermines the goal of linking numbers to their rightful owners.