Me&you mobile stops selling eSIMs

mylesillidge

mylesillidge

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South African mobile operator removes eSIMs after security flaw exposed

Last month we showed how easy it is to fraudulently use eSIMs on me&you mobile’s website. You could activate as many free eSIMs as you wished, uploading garbage information for your name, ID and address.

This is a violation of the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication Related Information Act (known as RICA). It also facilitates fraud, for example the use of untraceable cellphone numbers when fraudulently applying for the SRD social grant.
 
They should be closed down. How many people have lost money because of them.
 
I wouldn't say this was a "security flaw". RICA is just one of many laws that has been legislated in South Africa that no one really enforces or takes seriously.

There was never any indication either that criminals were using sim cards from Me&You either to commit fraud. In every neighborhood in SA you can go to a spaza shop and buy a sim card that has already been pre-rica'd for R5. This is far easier and more convenient than going through the hassle of registering esims.
 
RICA has nothing to do with FICA and the gray list. Nothing!

There are many countries that do not require RICA, including the US.

RICA is so easy to circumvent in SA: Just find a poor person and pay him to buy you sim card. MyBB should test that out.

RICA is completely useless for tapping phones. Just call with WhatsApp.
 
Last edited:
pstation said:
I wouldn't say this was a "security flaw". RICA is just one of many laws that has been legislated in South Africa that no one really enforces or takes seriously.

There was never any indication either that criminals were using sim cards from Me&You either to commit fraud. In every neighborhood in SA you can go to a spaza shop and buy a sim card that has already been pre-rica'd for R5. This is far easier and more convenient than going through the hassle of registering esims.
Click to expand...
Yes, I'm not sure where the RiCA information goes really, other than into marketer's databases...
 
In fact, one of us contacted ICASA three times. The first time they advised us to call the Public Service Commission. The second time they advised us to phone the national anti-corruption hotline. The third time they asked us to contact the DCDT.
Click to expand...
Top notch okes at ICASA. Doing gud job.
 
E-SIMS obviously cost someone money, ergo the reason they do not want them in this country. The rest of the world has been using E-SIMS for years without any issue, so another truly South African stuff up.
 
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