Mexico City — More than 100 million cellphone lines in Mexico are now linked to an identified holder under a mandatory registration program intended to help authorities investigate fraud and extortion. A cybersecurity firm says attempted phone scams have nevertheless risen sharply in 2026, raising a question for anyone who answers an unfamiliar number: does registering a SIM card establish who is actually calling?
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT) reported that 100,000,518 lines had been linked as of Nov. 2, representing 83.3% of the roughly 120 million lines it expects to be registered by year’s end. The measure associates a Mexican mobile number with its holder’s identity. The CRT says that should reduce the anonymity available to people who use mobile lines to commit crimes and make investigations easier.
But identifying a line’s registered holder is not the same as verifying the person on the other end of every call. In a Nov. 4 analysis, cybersecurity firm SILIKN said its monitoring found an increase of up to 90% in attempted phone fraud, scams and extortion during 2026. The firm said criminals can use internet calling, stolen identities or technology that makes a different number appear on a recipient’s screen.
That 90% figure is SILIKN’s finding, not an official national crime statistic. Its published analysis does not provide enough detail about the sample or comparison period to establish how broadly the increase applies. It also does not show that registration caused the rise, or prove that the program has failed to help any investigations.
Registration deadlines are still approaching
For users whose Mexican mobile lines have not yet been linked, the obligation remains in force. According to the CRT’s registration portal, the remaining deadlines depend on the last digit of the phone number: Nov. 15 for numbers ending in 6, Nov. 30 for 7, Dec. 15 for 8 and Dec. 31 for 9. Earlier deadlines have passed.
Registration is free and takes place through the mobile provider, either online or at a customer service center. The CRT says an unregistered line may be temporarily suspended after its deadline but can be restored once it is linked. Its published rules also allow foreign nationals contracting a Mexican mobile line to identify themselves with their name, country of origin and passport number.
The deadline itself can become a scam
SILIKN warns that callers may pose as phone-company staff and threaten to cut off service unless a user supplies personal information or a verification code. The CRT’s public guidance says providers do not call customers to confirm registration. Anyone receiving such a call can hang up and use the CRT portal to reach their provider’s official registration page.
A familiar-looking number is no guarantee either. Mexico’s financial consumer agency, Condusef, has explained how caller-ID spoofing works: a caller can falsify the number shown on a phone. Condusef advises people not to share passwords, banking details or verification codes during an unsolicited call, and offers a tool to check or report suspicious numbers.
For residents and visitors using Mexican phone service, the distinction is straightforward. Registration may give investigators a lead when a registered line is used in a crime. It does not make an incoming call trustworthy simply because a number appears on the screen.
