MOFA sees rise in use of fake passports to obtain new cell phones
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Fourteen cases of fake or modified passports being used to purchase mobile phones have been reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) since August, it's been learned.
According to MOFA's Passport Division, there has been a sharp rise in the number of inquiries regarding passports over the last few months.
In each of the 14 confirmed cases reported by the ministry, fake Japanese passports, some of them bearing nonexistent passport numbers, were used to attempt to buy mobile phones.
The ministry is planning to hold a seminar on Tuesday for telecom shop workers in order to train them how to spot fakes.
Under the Prevention of Improper Use of Mobile Voice Communications Services Law enacted in 2005, anyone attempting to purchase a mobile phone is required to show some form of personal identification, such as a driver's license or passport.
(Mainichi Japan) October 25, 2008
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