In some EU member states this might be fine, but definitely not all.

> Your local drunkard will be happy to get $10 to buy a SIM card for you.

Buying a SIM card was always the easy bit. Getting it activated may not be, it depends on which country you're in.

https://www.telekom.de/prepaid-aktivierung/en/start

"For the Selfie-Ident you identify yourself with your identity card, passport or residence permit. (Selfie-Ident is currently possible worldwide with the German ID card, residence permit and passport. Alternatively, you can use Video-Ident and identify yourself in a video call with an employee.)

Important: Temporary identification documents are not supported due to internal check. You need a tablet or smartphone with a camera and an internet connection."

Q: Who's paying the bills for that SIM?

> > The ID presented at time of purchase does not have to be the ID of the actual user of the card

>In some EU member states this might be fine, but definitely not all

It seems hard if not impossible to prevent or stop?

Thought experiement: you can buy and register a car, and then lend it to someone else to use.

That's certainly "hard if not impossible to prevent or stop" and might seem fine ... right until the point when it isn't fine any more.

At which point the police will come to knock on your door (first).

You can anonymously buy top-up vouchers in supermarkets for pay-as-you-go SIMs.

As a result, sites where I could rent a number for verification, now don't offer local numbers anymore.