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29 March 2024

263 SIM card applications forged

Six employees of two marketing companies are accused of forging 263 applications for SIM cards and swindling Dh2.6 million. (File)

Published
By Eman Al Baik

Six Pakistanis, who worked in two companies appointed by Etisalat to promote its smart phones and service packages, allegedly stole more than Dh2.6 million worth of mobile phones and phone calls by forging 263 applications, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

The prosecution mentioned in its charge sheet that the accused -- RA, development manager, SN and FS, all 29 years old, in addition to three fugitives AH, RS and OW who are being prosecuted in absentia -- forged application by signing on behalf of customers in some cases, and also forged salary certificates and Emirates ID photocopies in other cases.

The crime came to light when some Etisalat customers complained about disconnection of service.
 
BK, 38, Iraqi businessman, complained that he had never applied to Etisalat for the package of SIM card and mobile phone.
 
“Checking the application, it was found out that the submitted document photocopies were genuine. However, the signature on the application was not his. I do not know how my documents reached Etisalat. All I know is that I recently submitted my documents to a motor company in Dubai,” he testified.
 
Pakistani driver, 34, complained that Etisalat sales staff visited their company and promoted Galaxy S5 with a SIM card for Dh310 in monthly installments.
 
“I agreed to the offer and filled the application and offered the executives the needed documents. After receiving the set, I used the phone and was paying the installments and the bills regularly.
 
 “Last November, I received a call telling me that I can come and collect iPhone 5 and its SIM card. I told them that I had never applied for an iPhone and I don’t need it.
 
“At the end of December, I received another call telling me that I have to pay a bill of Dh7,000. Enquiring about the SIM number, I was informed about a number that I never had. As I had never applied for that number, I complained to Etisalat,” he testified.
 
The complainant suspected the sales executives who were the only people who had his personal documents. Etisalat found out that the signature on the application which carried his information was forged.

SS, 27, complained that he received a bill of Dh42,000 for a phone number he did not have.
 
TJ, 38, Indian salesman, had never applied for smart phones and was shocked to learn from Etisalat that he had two SIM cards in his name and he had to pay big bills.
 
“I complained to Etisalat as I did not know anything about the two SIM card numbers and the smart phone and the monthly package. I had never applied for them. I do not know how my personal information reached Etisalat. The application in my name was forged,” he testified.
 
NN, 26, Pakistani shop manager, had six Sim cards in his name about which he did not know anything except when he received a call from Etisalat asking him to pay the bills of the six Sim cards.
 
“I had never availed of any Etisalat service. I had a du number which I use. The signature on the application was not mine. However, the enclosed documents were copies of my originals. I do not know how my documents’ photocopies reached Etisalat. I never gave my documents to anyone except to du when I applied for a Sim card. Also, I usually give a photocopy of the company’s licence when contracting with our clients,” he noted.
 
Twenty other people from different nationalities lodged similar complaints and refused to pay the accumulated bills.
 
Investigations revealed that some employees in two marking companies assigned by Etisalat to promote its smart phones and packages had forged applications, said an Etisalat auditor.
 
In some cases, staff of promoting companies had forged the client’s signature on applications. After submitting applications that they had endorsed using stamps provided to them, the provider fed in information of customers in its systems and activated the service.
 
The accused received iPhones but stole the sets and the Sim cards and used them to make calls and in credit transfer if the service was postpaid.
 
In other cases, the accused submitted iPhone applications on behalf of bogus customers. They forged all documents and gave false information of bogus people. They also forged Emirates ID photocopies and salary certificates and enclosed them with the applications, he said.
 
Etisalat fed the application of these ‘clients’ into its system and after activation of the service, the accused received the sets with the Sim cards and used them, he added.
 
Etisalat found out that the accused had forged a total of 263 applications and made calls and credit transfers totalling Dh2,567,401, the auditor said.
 
The auditor also testified that the total number of staff involved in forging applications was 19.
 
Etisalat confronted the accused and they admitted to the crime.

An official of the service provider lodged a complaint with the police accusing the staff of the two companies that were assigned to promote and sell its services. The swindle happened between May and August 2014 and the service provider lost about Dh4.8 million.
 
Criminal evidences reported that the signatures on some applications were forged.

Only two of the accused appeared before the count and they denied the accusations.

The court will reconvene on September 13.