Mexico to Require Mobile Phone Users to Be Fingerprinted
Category: MobilePosted: February 9, 2009 06:07PM
Author: Nemo
In an effort to crack down on crimes including extortion and kidnappings, Mexico passed a law requiring all mobile phone customers to be fingerprinted. The law, which goes into effect in April, will give mobile phone companies one year to establish a database of their clients including fingerprints. The law also requires phone companies to store call information, text and voice messages for one year. The law is in reaction to the growing number of criminal gangs in Mexico, currently around 700, that use cell phones to extract payments from extortion and kidnap victims and their families. The fingerprinting requirement is an effort to tie cell phone usage to owners. Users must also immediately report lost, stolen or loaned phones to avoid being held responsible for phones used in the commission of a crime. Most of the phones in use in Mexico are prepaid units that don't require any identification when purchased and can be refilled with additional minutes using street corner vendors.
