Somewhere in a telecom database there is a list of every mobile connection issued against your identity document — and most Indians have never looked at it. That list is worth two minutes of your attention, because a SIM card taken out in your name and used by someone else is still, legally and practically, your problem.
The government runs a free portal that shows you exactly what is on that list, and lets you kill anything you do not recognise. Here is how to use it properly.
Why a SIM You Never Bought Ends Up in Your Name
Three things cause it, and none of them require you to be careless.
Retailer fraud. You hand over an Aadhaar copy and a photo for one connection. The retailer runs the KYC twice and activates a second SIM on the same document. That second SIM gets sold on.
Old connections you forgot. A number you stopped using in 2019, a dongle, a second SIM for a phone you sold. Disuse does not always mean disconnection, and the connection stays attached to your ID.
Deliberate identity misuse. Documents leaked in a data breach or photocopied at a hotel desk get recycled into fraudulent KYC. This is the one that hurts, because the SIM is usually being used for something illegal.
The consequence is not theoretical. Connections registered to you can be used for OTP fraud, loan app harassment, and scam calling. When investigators trace a number, they arrive at the registered subscriber first. Sorting it out afterwards is far harder than spending two minutes checking now.
The Legal Limit: 9 Connections, or 6 in Some States
The Department of Telecommunications caps how many mobile connections one person can hold across all operators combined:
- Nine connections for most of India.
- Six connections in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and the North Eastern licensed service areas.
The cap counts every operator together — four Jio numbers and four Airtel numbers is eight, not four. Connections found in excess of the limit get flagged for verification, and can be deactivated if you do not respond.
One clarification, because a lot of viral posts get this wrong: simply holding more connections than the limit is not what triggers a criminal penalty. The Telecommunications Act, 2023 penalises obtaining a SIM through fraudulent means — impersonation, forged documents, someone else’s identity. If a retailer issued an extra SIM against your Aadhaar without you knowing, you are the victim in that transaction, not the offender. What you need to do is report it, which is exactly what the portal is for.
How to Check Every SIM Registered on Your Name
The tool is called TAFCOP — Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection — and it lives on the Sanchar Saathi portal at sancharsaathi.gov.in. It is free. There is no fee, no agent, and no third-party site you need.
On the website
- Open sancharsaathi.gov.in in any browser.
- Find the Citizen Centric Services section and choose Know your mobile connections (the TAFCOP module).
- Enter the mobile number you currently use, complete the captcha, and request an OTP.
- Enter the OTP. The portal now lists every mobile connection registered against the identity document tied to that number.
On the Sanchar Saathi app
The same modules are in the official Sanchar Saathi app on the Play Store and App Store. The app launched in January 2025 and had crossed roughly 14 million downloads and three million monthly active users by late 2025, handling around 2,000 fraud reports a day.
You may remember the brief controversy here. On 2 December 2025 the DoT directed manufacturers to pre-install the app on all new smartphones and prevent users from disabling it. After a sharp public backlash over privacy and state overreach, the ministry reversed the mandate the very next day and confirmed pre-installation would not be compulsory. Installing the app today is entirely your choice, and the web portal does the same job without installing anything.
Reading the List: What You Are Actually Looking For
You will see a set of numbers, usually partly masked. Go through them one at a time and sort each into three buckets:
- Mine, in use. Leave it alone.
- Mine, but no longer needed. An old number you stopped using. Mark it as not required.
- Not mine. You do not recognise it at all. This is the one that matters.
Against each entry the portal gives you the options to report a connection as Not my number, Not required, or Required. Choose honestly — reporting an active number you actually use as “not mine” will get your own connection disconnected.
What Happens After You Report a Connection
Submitting a report generates a ticket ID. Save it. The request goes to the relevant telecom operator, which is expected to verify and act on it, typically within a few working days.
Track the ticket through the same portal. If the connection is confirmed as fraudulently issued, it gets disconnected and the KYC linkage to your document is removed. If nothing moves after a reasonable wait, escalate to your operator’s nodal officer with the ticket ID in hand — a documented complaint reference changes the tone of that conversation considerably.
The Other Sanchar Saathi Tools Worth Knowing
TAFCOP is one module of several, and the rest solve problems people usually pay someone to fix.
CEIR blocks a lost or stolen phone across every Indian network using its IMEI. The handset becomes useless on any Indian SIM, and if someone does insert a card, the device can be traced. Report the theft to the police first, because you will need the complaint details. When you get the phone back, the same module unblocks it.
Chakshu is where you report suspected fraud communication — a scam call, a phishing SMS, a WhatsApp message impersonating a bank or a courier company. This is for reporting the attempt, before any money is lost.
KYM (Know Your Mobile) checks an IMEI before you buy a second-hand phone. It tells you whether the IMEI is valid, blacklisted, duplicated, or already reported stolen. Anyone buying a used handset should run this check before paying.
RICWIN reports international calls that arrive displaying a fake Indian +91 number — a common setup for offshore scam operations.
If a SIM in Your Name Was Used for Fraud
Finding an unknown connection is one thing. Discovering it was used against someone is another. If you receive calls from a bank, a recovery agent, or the police about a number you never took out:
- Report the connection on TAFCOP immediately and keep the ticket ID.
- File a complaint on the national cybercrime portal at cybercrime.gov.in, or call 1930 if money has moved.
- Ask your operator in writing for the KYC document used to activate that connection. This is the evidence that shows it was not you.
- Keep every reference number in one place. If this becomes a police matter, that paper trail is your defence.
The same discipline applies to money fraud generally — our guide to UPI frauds and how to recover your money covers the reporting window that decides whether funds can actually be frozen.
Make This Part of a Wider Check
Checking your SIM list is one item on a short list of things that quietly protect you. While you are at it, run an Android privacy checkup on the permissions apps have quietly accumulated, and see whether anything unwanted is running by learning how to find hidden apps on Android.
If your phone itself is the weak link, the fundamentals in protecting your phone from hackers and a sensible pick from these free security apps will do more than any paid subscription. We keep this kind of practical, India-specific security guidance updated across Techleez com.
Set a Reminder
Check TAFCOP twice a year, and always after you have handed your Aadhaar or ID copy to anyone — a new landlord, a hotel, a job application, a new mobile retailer. Those are the moments when a document copy leaves your control, and those are the moments worth auditing afterwards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TAFCOP free to use?
Yes. Sanchar Saathi is a government portal and every module on it is free. Any website or agent charging a fee to check your SIM list is not official.
How many SIM cards can one Aadhaar have?
Nine active mobile connections across all operators in most of India, and six in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and the North Eastern service areas.
Can I check SIMs registered on a number I no longer have?
Not directly, because verification runs through an OTP on a working number. Use any active number registered to the same identity document and the list shown covers that document.
Will reporting a connection disconnect my own number?
Only the connections you specifically mark. The number you used to log in and verify by OTP is not affected.
How long does it take to get a fraudulent SIM disconnected?
Operators generally act within a few working days of receiving the request. Keep your ticket ID and escalate to the operator’s nodal officer if there is no movement.
Do I need to install the Sanchar Saathi app?
No. The website offers the same modules. The December 2025 pre-installation mandate was withdrawn a day after it was announced, and using the app is voluntary.
Fold Smith
Fold Smith is a technology journalist and the lead editor of The Techleez, an India-first publication that decodes technology, digital payments, streaming and online culture for everyday readers. From UPI and fintech explainers to OTT streaming guides, Android tips and online-safety checklists, he personally tests the apps, tools and services featured on the site before recommending them. His focus is practical, research-backed guidance that helps Indian readers make smarter digital decisions — spend less, stream better and stay safe online. When he is not writing, he is usually tracking NPCI circulars, first-day-first-show box office numbers, or the next big OTT premiere.
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