The nation's leading mobile phone operator Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) yesterday warned the public to be aware of excess charges on their cellphone bills.
The company made the statement after the circulation of an e-mail that offers for sale a device that can copy mobile phone Subscriber Identity Number (SIM) cards.
A SIM card is a chip that acts as a mobile phone's control center, storing the owner's passwords, communication records and phone lists.
"Access to SIM-card data means others can make phone calls and then put the charge on your bills," Chunghwa's chief engineer Shih Mu-piao (石木標) said.
"If consumers notice that their phone bills jump significantly, they might have been charged for phone calls by dishonest people," he added.
The trick works like this: first the device (a so-called SIM-card writer) is connected to a computer, and then users can run the software to copy all data from one SIM card to another.
According to Shih, the card writers were priced at NT$3,500 in the circulated e-mail -- and blank SIM cards sell for NT$2,500 each.
While selling these copying gadgets isn't against the law, using fake cards to make calls is absolutely illegal.
"They are not only sold on the Web, I know an increasing number of mobile phone retailers are beginning to put the device on their shelves," said Huang Wan-fa (
"Illegal users will be fined up to NT$1.5 million or sentenced for up to five years in prison," he added.
However, both Chunghwa Te-lecom and Huang said that the situation is under control.
"So far we didn't get any report from consumers regarding the use of fake SIM cards," Huang said.
Chunghwa's Shih said that, because unscrupulous people can't make copies unless they obtain the original cards, "the chances of getting over-billed is limited as long as users keep their SIM cards with them."
Users should also not leave their SIM cards with others and be sure to take their SIM cards out when they send their mobile phones in for repairs.
Meanwhile, a member of the Consumer Foundation (消基會) expressed worry over the new practice.
"This can be yet another headache after the fake credit card crisis," said attorney Joann Su (蘇錦霞), a member of the foundation's business committee.
Credit card fraud topped the foundation's complaints list last year, with more than 200 disputes reported to the committee.
She also asked the mobile service company to protect consumers.
"For example, users should insist on further investigation of excess phone charges before paying it."
In addition, operators should try to upgrade their SIM-card technology to avoid illegal usage, Su said.
AIR DEFENSE: The Norwegian missile system has proved highly effective in Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the US has recommended it for Taiwan, an expert said The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Taiwan ordered from the US would be installed in strategically important positions in Taipei and New Taipei City to guard the region, the Ministry of National Defense said in statement yesterday. The air defense system would be deployed in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山) and New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), the ministry said, adding that the systems could be delivered as soon as the end of this year. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has previously said that three NASAMS would be sold to Taiwan. The weapons are part of the 17th US arms sale to
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The suspects formed spy networks and paramilitary groups to kill government officials during a possible Chinese invasion, prosecutors said Prosecutors have indicted seven retired military officers, members of the Rehabilitation Alliance Party, for allegedly obtaining funds from China, and forming paramilitary groups and assassination squads in Taiwan to collaborate with Chinese troops in a possible war. The suspects contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) by taking photos and drawing maps of key radar stations, missile installations and the American Institute in Taiwan’s headquarters in Taipei, prosecutors said. They allegedly prepared to collaborate with China during a possible invasion of Taiwan, prosecutors said. Retired military officer Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), 62, a Republic of China Army Academy graduate, went to China
INSURRECTION: The NSB said it found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday. In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies. Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information
BREAKTHROUGH: The US is making chips on par in yield and quality with Taiwan, despite people saying that it could not happen, the official said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has begun producing advanced 4-nanometer (nm) chips for US customers in Arizona, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, a milestone in the semiconductor efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden. In November last year, the commerce department finalized a US$6.6 billion grant to TSMC’s US unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. “For the first time ever in our country’s history, we are making leading edge 4-nanometer chips on American soil, American workers — on par in yield and quality with Taiwan,” Raimondo said, adding that production had begun in recent