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0 pointstlyleung3y ago0 comments

To have an account with Optus, you need to provide a Primary ID such as an Australian Drivers Licence or current passport. (See: https://www.optus.com.au/for-you/support/answer?id=9438) They probably kept it on file, instead of verifying and discarding, potentially due to regulatory requirement.

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6 comments · 1 top-level

ryan-allen3y ago· 5 in thread

My understanding is that it's a regulatory requirement, the Govt wants to know who specifically owns what SIM. If I remember right, this was introduced post 9/11. I may be spectacularly wrong on both fronts, though!

jackvalentine3y ago

You are correct, but I’m pretty sure for prepaid services under a low threshold (4 SIMs?) a bank card is sufficient.

That doesn’t stop these companies just going for the big ID though, and for postpaid they are offering credit and will definitely require 100 points of ID.

tmnvix3y ago

That's news to me. I've purchased two prepaid sims in Australia within the past ten years and each time a passport or driver's licence was required.

brokenmachine3y ago

Yes, they claimed they needed it to stop terrorism.

Then they detained an innocent person for the longest time without charge in recent history, including solitary for 23 hours per day, and not letting him access legal advice or contact his family, because terrorism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhamed_Haneef

HKH23y ago

From memory, you could get a prepaid SIM without an ID well after 9/11. I think it was introduced to get rid of burner phone SIMs back when SMS was still a thing.

collegeburner3y ago

wait y'all can't get burner phones in aus? how do y'all make private phone calls or send private text messages if you can't dispose of the number after?

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