Mexico's mandatory mobile line registration hit by fraud and pending deadline

Mexico's telecom regulator (CRT) requires all mobile numbers to be linked to the holder’s CURP by 30 June 2026. The registration, mandatory for both prepaid and post‑paid lines, demands official ID and a facial‑biometric verification. Users can check their status for free on the CRT portal; lines not linked will face temporary suspension from 1 July 2026, though emergency calls remain possible.

An investigation revealed that unregistered SIM cards are being sold on city streets already linked to strangers’ identities for about 200 pesos, bypassing the official ID and biometric checks. This informal market undermines the system’s aim to eliminate telephone anonymity and raises concerns about identity theft and data misuse. The rollout, which began on 9 January 2026, has already encountered technical glitches and past security warnings, echoing earlier failed national databases such as the Renaut and Panaut projects.

As of mid‑May, CRT reported roughly 48 million lines registered, leaving a substantial number still pending before the mandated daily target of about one million registrations to meet the June deadline.