How to Report a Fake or Fraudulent SIM Card to PTA

Finding out that a SIM you never bought is sitting on your CNIC is a horrible feeling. It usually happens by accident. You send your ID number to 668 for a quick check, and the reply shows more connections than you actually own. Now there’s a number in your name that you can’t account for, and you have no idea who’s using it or what they’re doing with it.

The good news is that Pakistan has a real, working system for this. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) treats unauthorized SIM registration as a genuine consumer complaint, and operators are legally required to respond. You don’t need a lawyer, you don’t need connections, and most of the process is free. What you do need is to follow the correct route and keep your evidence in order.

This guide walks through exactly how to report a fake or fraudulent SIM card to PTA in 2026, what to prepare beforehand, and what happens after you file.

First, confirm the SIM is actually fraudulent

Before you file anything, you want proof of what’s registered under your identity. A complaint backed by a screenshot moves faster than one based on a hunch.

There are two official ways to check, and both are run by PTA:

• SMS method: Type your 13-digit CNIC number with no dashes and send it to 668. Within about half a minute you’ll get a reply showing how many SIMs are registered to you, broken down by network. It costs roughly two rupees plus tax, and you don’t need an internet connection.
• Web portal: Open cnic.sims.pk in any browser, enter your CNIC, complete the captcha, and you’ll see the same breakdown on screen. This one is free, works from outside Pakistan too, and you can print the result.
  
  

Take a screenshot with the date visible. Then list out every SIM you personally own. Anything left over is a SIM you didn’t register. If you want a fuller walkthrough of this step, our guide on how to check how many SIMs are registered on your CNIC covers every network in detail.

A quick note on what “fraudulent” means here, because people use the word loosely:

• A fake SIM is one registered on your CNIC without your knowledge or consent. Someone got hold of a photocopy of your ID and had a retailer issue a connection in your name.
• A fraudulent SIM can also mean a number being used to scam, harass, or threaten other people, whether or not it’s on your CNIC.
  
  

The reporting routes overlap, but the urgency differs. If a stranger’s number is registered to you and being used for crime, you’re the one who could get a knock on the door. That’s why acting the same day matters.

What to gather before you file

Complaints with complete documentation get resolved faster. Cases with thin evidence drag on. So spend ten minutes pulling these together first:

• Your original CNIC (you’ll need it for biometric steps at the franchise)
• The screenshot of your 668 or cnic.sims.pk result showing the unknown SIM
• The exact number, if you have it, or at least the network it belongs to
• Any messages, call records, or receipts if the fraud caused you a loss
• A short, plain timeline of what happened and when you noticed
  
  

Keep everything in one folder on your phone. You’ll be pulling from it more than once.

Method 1: Report through the PTA complaint portal

This is the main route for unauthorized SIM registration, and it’s the one that creates an official record with enforcement weight behind it.

Go to complaint.pta.gov.pk and open the complaint registration form. You’ll be asked for your CNIC, contact details, the operator involved, and a description of the problem. Be specific. Instead of “there is a wrong SIM on my ID,” write something like: “A SIM on network X is registered to my CNIC without my consent. I have never purchased or activated it. My 668 check on [date] confirms it. I request its deactivation and removal from my CNIC.”

Attach your screenshot. Submit the form and save the complaint reference number somewhere safe, because you’ll use it to track progress and to escalate if things stall.

One thing worth knowing: PTA shares your complaint with the relevant telecom operator so they can act on it. The operator is required to investigate and report back. If your complaint turns out to be knowingly false, PTA can act against you instead, so only file when you’re genuinely sure the SIM isn’t yours.

If your situation is broader than a single stray SIM, for example your identity is being misused in several ways, read our dedicated piece on how to report CNIC misuse through official routes. It maps out which body handles what.

Method 2: Call the PTA helpline

If you’d rather talk to a person, PTA runs a toll-free complaint line at 0800-55055, and it operates around the clock. This is useful when you want to file quickly, ask a question about your case, or push for a status update using your reference number.

Keep your CNIC and complaint details in front of you when you call. If you already filed online, mention that you’re following up and give the reference number. If you’re escalating because nobody responded within the expected window, say so plainly.

Method 3: Use RAABTA, the PTA WhatsApp assistant

Launched in early 2026, RAABTA is PTA’s official WhatsApp-based digital assistant. You can reach it at 0315-0055055. It’s a menu-driven service, so it walks you through options for SIM information, IMEI checks, and complaint filing without you having to navigate a website.

For anyone who lives on WhatsApp and finds government portals fiddly, this is the gentlest way in. It’s the same authority behind it, just a friendlier front door.

Method 4: Visit an authorized franchise to disown the SIM

Reporting the SIM and removing it from your CNIC are two related but separate actions. To physically get the number off your identity, you visit an authorized franchise of the operator (not a random retail shop) and ask for SIM disowning.

Bring your original CNIC. You’ll complete a biometric verification with your fingerprint, which is how the system confirms you are who you say you are. Once done, you get a receipt. Wait 24 to 48 hours, then send your CNIC to 668 again to confirm the number is gone.

Here’s a catch that trips people up in 2026. PTA introduced a 365-day disowning rule that changes the timeline for recently activated SIMs. Fraudulently issued SIMs can still be addressed through the complaint process during this period, but the physical disowning may be delayed. This is exactly why you file the PTA complaint the same day you spot the problem, even if the franchise tells you to wait. The complaint starts the clock and creates the paper trail. If you want the full picture, we broke it down in the PTA 365-day SIM disowning rule explained.

When to involve cybercrime authorities

Some cases go beyond a stray registration. If the fraudulent SIM has been used to scam someone, steal money, impersonate you, or send threats, you’re now looking at a criminal matter, and a PTA complaint alone isn’t enough.

For that, file with the cybercrime authorities. Reports of online fraud, identity theft, and violations under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 are handled through the official cybercrime complaint channels, with a dedicated helpline for urgent cases. If there’s a physical threat or ongoing harassment, also file an FIR at your local police station and bring every screenshot and record you have.

The rule of thumb: PTA handles the SIM and the operator. Cybercrime authorities handle the crime committed with it. Serious cases need both.

What happens after you file

Once your complaint is in, the operator investigates and PTA tracks the resolution. Typical outcomes are the unauthorized SIM being deactivated, the franchise or retailer that issued it being flagged, and confirmation sent back to you.

Timelines vary. Well-documented cases move faster; complicated ones take longer. If nothing happens within a reasonable window, log back into the portal, open your complaint, and add a follow-up noting the date you filed and asking for a status update. You can also call 0800-55055 with your reference number and mention you’re escalating. Persistence works here more than people expect.

After the SIM is removed, don’t assume it’s over. Check your CNIC again a week later, then make it a habit every couple of months. The same photocopy that let someone register one SIM can be used again. If you’re curious how criminals link numbers to identities in the first place, our CNIC reverse lookup guide explains the mechanics without the scare tactics.

How to stop it from happening again

Getting the fraudulent SIM removed is the fix. Not handing criminals the raw material is the prevention. A few habits go a long way:

• Guard your CNIC copies. Whenever you hand over a photocopy for a rental, a form, or a job application, write the purpose and date across it in pen so it can’t be reused elsewhere.
• Know your limit. Each CNIC is capped at a set number of connections, currently five voice SIMs and three data SIMs. If you’re near the cap and see a number you don’t recognize, that’s a red flag. Our breakdown of the PTA SIM limit per CNIC has the current numbers.
  
  
• Act fast on lost documents. If your CNIC itself goes missing, report it before someone registers ten SIMs on it. Here’s what to do if your CNIC is lost or stolen.
  
  
• Block a compromised SIM properly. If one of your own SIMs is lost or has been swapped, don’t just ignore it. Follow the steps to block a lost or stolen SIM card in Pakistan.
  
  
• Verify before you re-activate. If a SIM was suspended in the confusion and you need it back, the proper route is covered in our guide to restoring a blocked or suspended SIM.
  
  

A word on illegal “SIM database” websites

While you’re dealing with this, you’ll probably stumble across sites promising to reveal any stranger’s SIM details for a small fee. Skip them. Checking someone else’s records without authorization is a privacy violation under PECA 2016, the data they show is often stolen or fake, and results from those sites hold no weight in court. Every legitimate check, 668, cnic.sims.pk, and 667 for the SIM in your hand, is free and legal. Stick to those.

If you want to verify your own identity records the right way, PTA and NADRA provide the proper channels, and our NADRA CNIC verification page points you to them.

Where IMSI DATA fits in

IMSI DATA is a PTA-approved platform, officially recognized by the Pakistani government, that helps you quickly access SIM and CNIC ownership details in Pakistan. When you’re trying to figure out whether a SIM belongs to you, or you need clear, up-to-date information to file an accurate complaint, having fast and reliable data saves you from guessing. Used alongside the official PTA reporting routes above, it makes the whole process less stressful and a lot quicker. You can browse more of our practical, plain-language walkthroughs on the IMSI DATA blog.

The short version

Spotting a fake SIM on your CNIC is unsettling, but you’re not stuck with it. Confirm it with a 668 check, gather your evidence, and file through complaint.pta.gov.pk or call 0800-55055. Disown the number at an authorized franchise, and loop in cybercrime authorities if a crime was committed with it. File the same day you notice, keep your reference number, and follow up until it’s resolved. Then check again in a few months, because prevention is really just paying attention on a schedule.