Sanchar Saathi: Check How Many SIMs Are in Your Name

Someone can take a SIM card using your identity documents. India’s Sanchar Saathi lets you see every number in your name and report the ones that are not yours.

By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 18, 2026

Fraudsters sometimes take out SIM cards using another person’s identity documents. Those numbers can then be used for scam calls, fake accounts or OTP fraud, all traced back to the person whose name is on the connection. Most people never check, because until recently there was no easy way to.

Sanchar Saathi is a citizen portal run by India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT). One of its most useful tools shows every mobile connection registered in your name.

How to check SIMs in your name

What happens after you report

Reported connections go for re-verification by the telecom operator. The portal lists the timelines for connections that fail re-verification: outgoing services can be suspended within 30 days, incoming within 45 days, and the connection disconnected within 60 days.

The scale is large. According to a Press Information Bureau release, more than 1.43 crore connections were disconnected after citizens marked them as Not My Number.

Other tools on the same portal

• Block a lost or stolen phone. File a police report, get a duplicate SIM, then submit the IMEI blocking request with the police report and an ID proof. Keep the request ID, because you need it to unblock the phone later.
• Chakshu: report fraud communication. Report suspicious calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages, such as people pretending to be from the bank, police or TRAI. If you have already lost money, call the cyber-crime helpline 1930 instead.
• Report spam calls (UCC). Report unwanted commercial calls or SMS. The portal says complaints within 3 days of receiving the message are treated as valid complaints.
• Know the genuineness of your handset. Check whether a phone’s IMEI is genuine before you buy it.

When to check

• Once a year, as a routine check.
• After losing your Aadhaar card, passport or other ID document.
• After giving copies of your ID to a shop, agent or employer you do not fully trust.
• If you start getting OTPs, calls or bank alerts that do not make sense.

Keep a note of numbers you have legitimately closed. Old connections sometimes stay linked to your name longer than you expect.

If you find a number that is not yours

Report it as This is not my number straight away. Then think about how your identity documents may have been misused, for example a photocopy left with a shop or agent. If the number has been used for fraud, or you have lost money, report it on the national cyber-crime portal or call 1930, and keep a record of what you reported on Sanchar Saathi.

Why this matters for your digital footprint

A SIM in your name is part of your identity trail. If a fraudster uses it, police enquiries, spam reports and bank flags can point back to you. Checking once a year, and whenever you lose an ID document, takes a few minutes.

Your number can also be exposed in other ways, for example in caller ID apps. See how to unlist your number from Truecaller and how scammers get your phone number.