He became very wealthy. When he was not working, he was in a local hotel playing card games for large amounts of money.
VOA: special.2010.03.17
But localcard thefts are usually the result of a physical swipe (either a photocopy of both sides or a magnetic read), during which the perp obtains the first three but not the fourth item.
Assuming that you have an unlocked iPhone 4 or 4S or Android GSM (which is usually unlocked when sold), you can insert a local SIM card and have local voice and data services at a fraction of the cost you would otherwise pay.
If your phone is compatible, you'll need to decide whether you want to get your phone unlocked so that it can accept a local SIM card -- the ID chip that carries your local phone number.