<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Chifu</b> <<a href="mailto:chifu2222@gmail.com">chifu2222@gmail.com</a>><br>Date: Sun, Mar 16, 2008 at 2:01 AM<br>
Subject: [DigAfrica] Crime rate up with cheap telephony in Uganda<br>To: <a href="mailto:DigAfrica@yahoogroups.com">DigAfrica@yahoogroups.com</a><br><br><br>
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<p>Crime rate up with cheap telephony <br>
Friday, 14th March, 2008 <br>
By Arthur Baguma <br>
<br>
IN Kampala it is easier to buy a mobile phone sim card than to buy <br>
chocolate. Sim cards are sold everywhere, even on streets and in taxi <br>
parks, and they cost as little as sh1,500, the price of a pineapple. <br>
On Thursday, a Saturday Vision reporter was able to buy sim cards <br>
from street vendors, alongside other vendors of items such socks, <br>
hankies, underwear and roasted coffee beans. <br>
<br>
The Police say this has led to an increase in phone-mediated crimes <br>
such as conning, threatening lives and insulting, which are committed <br>
using phones. "A person can buy a sim card just to abuse someone and <br>
after that they throw it away," says Simeo Nsubuga, Police spokesman <br>
for Kampala. In Kampala alone, Police records about 10 such cases <br>
every week, a sharp increase from 2-3 cases a week two years ago. But <br>
the majority are not reported. <br>
<br>
A makerere Uniiversity lecturer received a phone call from someone <br>
claiming to be his former student. The caller introduced a `juicy <br>
deal', namely an opportunity to sell machine bearings to a mzungu <br>
representative of a big oil company. He arranged a meeting between <br>
the mzungu and the lecturer, near Entebbe international airport. The <br>
mzungu came carrying a huge bag stuffed with cash bundles. He asked <br>
for samples of the bearings, which the lecturer brought and he <br>
endorsed. <br>
<br>
Meanwhile, in Kampala Industrial Area, someone was waiting to sell <br>
the bearings to the lecturer so he could sell it to the mzungu at <br>
100% profit. But alas, after borrowing millions of shillings and <br>
buying the bearings, the lecturer returned to find both the mzungu <br>
and the broker gone and their phones switched off. <br>
<br>
Charity (not real name) almost walked out of her marital home over an <br>
anonymous text message. The message alleged that her husband of 10 <br>
years was involved in an extra marital affair. The sender signed off <br>
as a concerned friend. But when Charity tried to call the number of <br>
the `Good Samaritan', most times it was off and when it rang, she <br>
would not answer. <br>
<br>
The sender always claimed Charity's husband was with another woman, <br>
until one day, he made the same claim when Charity was with her <br>
husband at home. This is when Charity knew it was a hoax. <br>
<br>
This is just the tip of the iceberg. According to the Police, crimes <br>
committed using mobile phones have more than doubled in just two <br>
years. In Kampala alone, Police registers 10 such cases every week, <br>
yet a bigger number of incidents are not reported. This is an <br>
increase from 2-3 cases a week two years ago. These crimes include <br>
conning, threatening lives, insulting and blackmail. "A person can <br>
buy a SIM card just to abuse someone else and after that, they throw <br>
it away," says Simeo Nsubuga, Police spokesman for Kampala. <br>
<br>
Moreover, because they do not put the SIM card in their day-to-day <br>
phones, the Police find it hard to trace them. In some downtown <br>
areas, phones cost as little as sh20,000 and SIM cards cost a measly <br>
sh1,500. The conmen can, therefore, afford to throw away the phone <br>
with its SIM card to avoid being tracked. Worse still, SIM cards can <br>
be obtained just anywhere, even in taxi parks, without anyone keeping <br>
the buyer's details. This, says the Police, has been one of the main <br>
reasons for the increased phone-mediated crime. <br>
<br>
Many countries, including Germany, Switzerland and the US have <br>
legislation that requires pre-paid phone card users to register their <br>
identities when purchasing the SIM card. The law requires that <br>
telephone operators keep customer identity data and are required by <br>
law to make this data available under court order to authorised law <br>
enforcement and National Intelligence Center personnel in the <br>
respective countries. <br>
<br>
Phone Companies speak out <br>
Mobile phone companies claim that their subscribers are registered, <br>
but even under normal registration, the process has flaws which can <br>
be beaten. A subscriber is simply told to fill a form with their <br>
particulars. One is not asked to produce any identification to cross <br>
check the information they avail, after all, it is assumed that one <br>
is buying a personal belonging and would want a receipt in his or her <br>
genuine names. But Mark Kaheru, utl's public relation's officer, says <br>
even when customers are asked to register, some can use fictitious <br>
names. <br>
<br>
Kaheru says utl has received complaints from people with cases <br>
related to SIM card abuse. For example, some one getting a message <br>
that you have won a prize in a promotion. The message will proceed to <br>
indicate that if you are to redeem your prize, send air time to a <br>
certain number. "These are conmen men and we always put adverts in <br>
papers to warn the public over such cases," says Kaheru. <br>
<br>
Sheila Kangwagye the MTN Public relations officer says, all their SIM <br>
cards have registration forms including those sold on the streets by <br>
vendors. A SIM pack usually comes with a registration form. However, <br>
Saturday Vision was able to buy and activate a SIM card off the <br>
street without registration. <br>
<br>
Both utl and MTN receive complaints from subscribers who have been <br>
victims of phone-mediated crime such as threatening and black mail. <br>
But Kangwagye says they help only on court order. "We don't give out <br>
details for such queries to our sub-scribers. We only aid in police <br>
investigations if the case is of criminal nature." <br>
<br>
Police Advice <br>
The Police advises that any victim of a crime committed through a <br>
phone should report the case. Numbers that start with four and five <br>
after the first three digits are the most commonly used by con-men. <br>
The Police warns the public to be on the look out for anonymous calls <br>
and text messages from such numbers. In some cases the Police has <br>
foiled attempts to con people through mobile phones and arrested the <br>
culprits. According to Nsubuga, the conmen carry out thorough <br>
research about your personal life. Some one will call and accurately <br>
say things that are relevant to your life. They may mention names of <br>
your children or wife before duping you into the transactions. <br>
<br>
Government policy <br>
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the telecommunications <br>
regulatory body says there is no policy per se in respect to <br>
regulation and acquisition of SIM cards. UCC says that in countries <br>
where acquisition of SIM cards is regulated; it's facilitated by the <br>
National identity cards. However, Uganda has no national identity <br>
cards. <br>
<br>
"A national ID is the only reference number that is pegged to a <br>
person and all the transactions they operate can be traced through <br>
that reference number. It is easy to trace a person," Fred Otunnu, <br>
the UCC Corporate Boss says. <br>
<br>
He adds that in Uganda, the process of regulating SIM cards is hard <br>
because it is easy for someone to use multiple IDs in the absence of <br>
a national ID. He says Uganda requires a national ID as a starting <br>
point with a reference number attached to each person. <br>
David Bahati, MP Ndorwa West county in Kabale, calls for urgent <br>
legislation. "We have a whole lot of Information Communication <br>
Technologies (ICTs) bills pending. The Government should come out as <br>
soon as possible and make into law the current body of bills on ICT <br>
regulations which have not yet been passed," he said. <br>
<br>
It turns out that in Uganda, the telecommunications sector has grown <br>
rapidly without proper legislation. Whereas it is clear that phone <br>
companies should have records of their subscribers, there appears to <br>
be no law compelling them to do so. In the meantime, phone-mediated <br>
crime continues to grow rapidly.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/616655" target="_blank">http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/616655</a><br>
<br>
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