Woman’s NRIC Used to Sign Several Phone Lines Without Her Knowing

Time and time again, we’ve been warned to keep our NRICs close to us, and to refrain from revealing it unnecessarily.

“They do horrible things with it,” said every family member ever. “Terrifying things you couldn’t even envision.”

And as tacky as their advisories may have been, we’ve always been spooked into following suit;

Just like how other stories, such as the mythical creature under the bed, have always worked.

And yet, here’s the thing;

Your bed may ultimately be safe, but your NRIC… could just get you into real trouble.

Woman’s NRIC Used to Sign Several Phone Lines Without Her Knowing

A Singaporean woman recently found herself at the police’s doorstep when it was revealed that her number had purportedly been utilised to sign up for mobile lines and acquire phones.

The entire incident was documented by the lady’s son, who took to social media platform Facebook to warn other members of the public against such events.

In the post, the user stated that his mother had received a letter calling her for an interview at Teck Ghee Neighbourhood Police Centre on Tuesday (24 Nov).

Apparently, mobile shops (or probably “fake customers” heading to the shops) have been using her NRIC details to register for mobile lines, and/or acquire phones.

During the interview, the Investigating Officer (IO) attempted to jog her memory by providing a list of shops she may have visited in the past.

Though unconfirmed, the lady’s son speculated that the NRIC details must have been shared between shop owners.

Apparently, the woman was not the only one at the scene too.

According to the user, there were purportedly 10 other individuals waiting in line for the same case.

To conclude, the user advised the public to go for authorised shop dealers such as StarHub, M1 and SingTel instead.

“Please let your parent know about this,” he added.

You can view the full post here.

To date, the post has garnered over 1.5K shares and counting.

Netizens have also thanked the user for sharing the information.

Confidentiality

Needless to say, confidential details such as our NRIC numbers should be kept private, and ought to be shared only when necessary.

For the record, since September 2019, companies in Singapore are not permitted to ask for NRIC numbers unless required by law, or if it’s deemed necessary to ascertain one’s identity.

Here are some instances of when to show your NRIC…

…and when you shouldn’t.

Apart from using your NRIC details for mobile-related purposes, personnel with ill intentions may also…

• Use your NRIC as a form of guarantee for loans (the illegal kind)
• Use your NRIC to fill up a membership application form
• Use your NRIC to register for parking redemptions
• Use your NRIC to book a movie ticket

In August last year, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) released a statement to remind the public that from 1 September 2019 onwards, it will be illegal for organisations to physically hold on to your NRIC and collect its full number.

This includes birth certificate numbers, foreign identification numbers and work permit numbers as well.

However, NRIC numbers or copies of the NRIC can still be collected and shared if the law requires it: instances such as checking into a hotel or signing up for a new phone line.

It can also be collected if it’s necessary to verify an individual’s identity “to a high degree of fidelity,” such as when visiting a pre-school or for real estate matters.

The PDPC said in its statement that “NRIC numbers can be used to retrieve data relating to individuals, there is a need to reduce indiscriminate or unjustified collection and negligent handling of NRIC numbers.”

Organisations that continue to indiscriminately collect, use or disclose the NRIC would be going up against the PDPA and can be fined up to $1 million.

And also, if you’re interested to know more about your NRIC, here’s a video we’ve done (and please subscribe to our YouTube channel for more informative videos!):

Featured Image: Tang Yan Song / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)