Overview
- The Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously on Wednesday, granted a woman’s amparo, held AT&T civilly liable for a negligent SIM replacement, and ordered full reparations.
- Carriers must now verify identity in person with valid ID, match data to the contract, ask security questions, keep verifiable records of the transaction, and send alerts to the original subscriber.
- The case began when a Mexico City user lost service after her number was reassigned in Chihuahua, which let a third party try bank moves, reset passwords, take over accounts, and spread her intimate photos.
- The justices labeled a negligent SIM change an unlawful act that breaches communication privacy and enables fraud, and they directed gender‑sensitive handling to avoid blaming or revictimizing those targeted online.
- The Court told the Ministerio Público to investigate possible crimes, and its precedent lets other users sue for damages and is expected to push telecoms to overhaul SIM‑replacement procedures.