Time To Switch To eSIM? South Korea Will Now Make Consumers Scan Their Faces To Buy a SIM Card And Cut Down On Scams
South Korea now requires facial recognition to buy a SIM card or eSIM amid rising fraud—here's what it means for privacy and security.
Matilda
Time To Switch To eSIM? South Korea Will Now Make Consumers Scan Their Faces To Buy a SIM Card And Cut Down On Scams
South Korea Mandates Face Scans for SIM and eSIM Registration to Curb Mobile Scams Worried about SIM-swap fraud or identity theft when activating a new phone line? South Korea just introduced a bold new rule: starting this month, anyone buying a physical SIM card—or switching to an eSIM—must verify their identity with a live facial scan. The move responds to a sharp rise in mobile fraud fueled by massive data leaks, and aims to shut down criminals who exploit stolen identities to register phone numbers. If you're considering switching to eSIM in 2025, this development could reshape how—and how securely—you connect. Credit: Dermalog Why South Korea Is Taking Drastic Measures For years, South Korea has grappled with increasingly sophisticated telecom fraud. Cybercriminals have capitalized on vast troves of leaked personal data—often from past breaches at credit agencies or telecom firms—to impersonate citizens and open mobile accounts. These illicit lines are then used to bypass two-fac…
