In This Guide Show
You can check how many mobile connections are issued on your identity through the government’s Sanchar Saathi portal. Open the “Know Mobile Connections in Your Name” service, sign in with an OTP sent to your own number, and you will see the list of numbers. Any number you do not recognise can be reported from the same screen. The check is free and takes a few minutes.
Why this check is worth doing
A SIM taken on your ID proof without your knowledge can be used for spam, OTP fraud or other crimes, and the connection traces back to your name. People usually discover such SIMs only when something goes wrong. Running this check once every few months is a simple habit, like checking where your Aadhaar has been used.
The Department of Telecommunications also limits how many connections one person can hold. As per the Sanchar Saathi portal, an individual can have a maximum of 9 mobile connections across all operators, and 6 in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North Eastern states. Connections above the limit can be disconnected.
What you need before you start
- An active mobile number that is in your own name, with the phone near you for the OTP
- A browser on your phone or computer
You do not have to type your Aadhaar number anywhere in this process. If a website or caller asks for Aadhaar details, a fee or an app install to “check your SIMs”, close it.
Steps to check SIM cards in your name
- Open the official portal at sancharsaathi.gov.in. Type the address yourself instead of tapping a link from an SMS or WhatsApp forward.
- Under Citizen Centric Services, choose Know Mobile Connections in Your Name. This service is also known by its older name, TAFCOP.
- Enter your 10-digit mobile number and the captcha shown on the page.
- Enter the OTP that arrives by SMS and sign in.
- The page lists the mobile numbers issued on the identity linked to your number. The numbers are partly masked, so match them using the digits that are visible.
The Department of Telecommunications also offers a Sanchar Saathi mobile app with the same citizen services. Install it only from the official Play Store or App Store listing. The layout of the website and app changes from time to time, so the labels you see may differ slightly from the ones here.
What the three options mean
Next to each number you can select an action and submit a report:
- This is not my number: you never took this connection and do not recognise it.
- Not required: the connection was yours, but you no longer use or need it.
- Required: the connection is yours and in use. No action is needed for these.
After you submit, the portal shows a reference or request number. Save a screenshot of it. You can use it later on the portal to check the status of your report.
Before you report a number, check at home
Many families run several SIMs on one person’s ID: a parent’s phone, a child’s tablet, a Wi-Fi dongle or an old number kept for a bank account. If you mark one of those as “not my number”, it may be sent for re-verification and can be disconnected. Ask at home first, and compare the visible digits carefully.
What happens after you report
The report goes to the telecom operator that issued the connection, which is expected to re-verify the subscriber and act on the result. The portal does not promise a fixed number of days, so check the status with your reference number. If an unknown number stays active for long, contact the operator’s customer care or visit its store with your ID and the reference number.
If the portal does not work for you
- No OTP: check signal, wait a minute and request it again. Do not try many times in a row.
- List looks incomplete: the list is built from operator records for the identity linked to your number. Connections taken with a different ID document may not appear together. Repeat the check from your other numbers.
- Page will not load: government portals can be slow at busy times. Try again later or on another browser.
- Number is not in your name: you can only see connections for the identity behind the number you sign in with. A family member has to check from their own number.
Keep your ID from being misused for SIMs
- When you hand over a photocopy of your ID, write the purpose and date across it and sign.
- Prefer a masked Aadhaar copy where full Aadhaar is not required.
- Buy SIMs from the operator’s own store or an authorised retailer, and watch that your biometric is taken only once.
- Surrender numbers you no longer use instead of leaving them idle.
If a phone itself is lost or stolen, the same portal has a separate service for it. See how to block a lost or stolen phone with CEIR.
FAQ
Is checking SIM cards on Sanchar Saathi free?
Yes. The service is run by the Department of Telecommunications and has no fee. Avoid any site or agent that asks for payment.
How many SIM cards can one person have in India?
As per the Sanchar Saathi portal, up to 9 mobile connections across all operators, and 6 in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North Eastern states.
Do I need my Aadhaar number to check?
No. You sign in with your mobile number and an OTP. You are not asked to enter your Aadhaar number.
What if I report my own number by mistake?
Contact your operator’s customer care or store quickly with your ID. A number reported as not yours can be sent for re-verification and may be disconnected.
Can I check the SIMs in my parent’s name?
Only from a number that is in their name, with the OTP sent to that phone. Do the check together with them.