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more on Pre-paid mobile phones
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 13:28:58 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: "Patrick W. Gilmore" <patrick () ianai net> Date: October 12, 2006 12:50:31 PM EDT To: dave () farber net Cc: "Patrick W. Gilmore" <patrick () ianai net>, ip () v2 listbox com Subject: Re: [IP] Pre-paid mobile phones On Oct 12, 2006, at 10:24 AM, David Farber wrote:
Last night I bought a pre-paid phone and the sales person asked for my ID, I asked why and he said it was to check that I am old enough to buy a phone- since I am 42, I was a bit dubious about that one, and then he typed my name and information into the system. I asked why and he said it was a requirement. My question for the group is, whose requirement, and why? I kind of thought the whole point of pre-pay was that you can just buy a phone and there was no need for identifying information since there is no credit risk, or directory listing. My colleagues tell me that in some European countries no information is needed, although that may change with new European directives.
I borrowed a pre-paid SIM in Germany a couple weeks ago. The person asked for the SIM back, even if I used all the money. I thought he wanted to save the initial purchase since you can re-charge the credits. He said he was worried someone would find it, use it for "terrorist" activity, and it would be traced back to him.
It's .. uh .. "good" to know the US is not the only country where "TERRORISTS MIGHT DO SOMETHING BAD" is an excuse for anything the gov't wants to do.
Bah. -- TTFN, patrick ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- more on Pre-paid mobile phones David Farber (Oct 12)