After forgeries,Bahrain Indians advised to keep I-cards safe

Indian nationals in Bahrain have been urged to keep their Central Population Registration (CPR) cards, a national identity card in the country, safe to avoid getting defrauded.

India's Ambassador to Bahrain Mohan Kumar advised Indians Friday to keep CPR cards issued by the Bahrain government safe following several complaints from workers who have had travel bans slapped on them because of non-payment of telephone bills issued on mobile numbers they never applied for.

In most of the cases their cards were forged by someone else, the Gulf Daily News reported Saturday.

"We are now seeing cases of Indians who have been issued bills by telecom companies for numbers which they tell us were never applied for by them," ambassador Mohan Kumar was quoted as saying.

According to the report, among those who have fallen victim to such fraud was 33-year-old Rajeev Sankara Pillai.

He was issued six outstanding phone bills dating back to 2010 by a leading company whose services he never used. He was also banned from travelling.

"I am a salesman and there is no logic for me to have six numbers in the first place," said Pillai.

"My CPR was misused as six mobile numbers were issued in my name without my authorisation to the telecom company. I got six different bills amounting to Bahraini Dinar 640 ($1,698) which I cannot pay and now there is a travel ban slapped on me," he added.

Telecom companies have now tightened rules for issuing new connections to prevent forgery. They said that the applicants have to be physically present and sign documents for new connections or services.

Indo-Asian News Service

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