Senator Chuck Schumer proposed a bill yesterday that would require anyone buying a prepaid cell phone to provide ID for the seller to keep so law enforcement could trace the phones if needed. The bill was sparked because failed Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad admitted to using a prepaid phone, and officials were only able to trace him because he gave custom officials the same number he used to call the seller of the SUV. Schumer said in a press release, "This proposal is overdue because for years, terrorists, drug kingpins and gang members have stayed one step ahead of the law by using prepaid phones." We knew there was something sinister about those Boost Mobile ads...
The phones are popular with those who may not have bank accounts or decent credit, since the services are often cheaper and don't require regular billing. The prepaid phone industry made about $16 billion this year, with 3.1 million new customers in the first three months of 2010. The top seven wireless companies signed on just 230,000 new users. But Schumer says,"The anonymous nature of these devices gives too much cover to individuals looking to use them for deviant, dangerous means," and notes the 9/11 hijackers, those responsible for the Madrid bombings in 2004 and even Wall street executives in 2009's insider trading bust all used prepaid phones for untraceable communication. One even chewed on his SIM card to destroy possible evidence, but Schumer probably can't introduce a bill prohibiting chewing. Probably.
