Mandatory Registration of Prepaid SIM Cards Introduced

The draft law developed by the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) stipulates that merchants in the electronic communications sector will be required to identify customers and retain their identification data when entering into contracts for prepaid mobile or internet services. Merchants will be prohibited from providing these services to unregistered users. The annotation states that such changes are necessary because criminals, including phone scammers, often use anonymous prepaid SIM cards. Data from the State Police indicates that in 2025, unregistered SIM cards were used in approximately 40% of registered crimes involving electronic means of communication. The MoI believes that the registration of prepaid SIM cards will help reduce the risks of fraud, money laundering, and other criminal activities, as well as improve investigative capabilities. Mandatory registration of such SIM cards has already been implemented in several European countries, including Lithuania, Germany, Austria, Poland, and Italy.