***Shocking fraud through Vodacom***

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ManBearPiggy

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I hope im posting this at the right category, if not, kindly advice.

Hi guys,

The craziest thing happed with me yesterday! My Vodacom sim got deactivated without my consent and criminals activated and used my WhatsApp to ask and got money from most of my contacts. Please see below the following messages that I received before the fraud happened.

Yesterday at 17:31 I received a message saying:

+278200703521621
"The port request has been received and is now being processed".Another message followed saying "(my number) --Your port request has been approved and is ready for Port activation."

From 17:32 till 17:33 i kept on receiving this following message from +27835056056 saying:
"Hi Thoko lets meet and have sex i ive you r100 from Maputo boy".

At 17:37 I received this following message:
+27820093996
"Vodacom notes a request to port (my number). You will be ported and lose Vodacom airtime/bundles. If you did not request this port reply 1 or call 0821299326"

18:29
+278200703521621
"(My number)--Your port request has been approved and is ready for Port activation."

18:29
+278200703521621
"Yello! In order to stay connected, please register your SIM for RICA. Bring your ID and proof of residence to an MTN store or participating retailer. Thank you."

20:19
+27872406528
"<#> Your WhatsApp code: 384-420
You can also tap on this link to verify your phone: v.whatsapp.com/384420
Don't share this code with others
4sgLqp5sV6

20:21
+46701799062
"<#> Your WhatsApp code: 384-420
You can also tap on this link to verify your phone: v.whatsapp.com/384420
Don't share this code with others
4sgLqp5sV6

When I opened my phone around 20:30 I noticed that I can't access my WhatsApp and my Vodacom sim is deactivated. I immediately went into a panic and told my brother to see what he can see on my WhatsApp profile from his phone. My number was online and I then realized my sim card was cloned. I then proceeded to try and call customer care from my brother's phone but with no avail. I tried multiple times to get hold of customer care but only got an automated message that referred me to a bot called "Tobi".

I then got several messages from social media/forums that I'm asking them money and that my bank card got lost. I immediately contacted some of my friends to alert them on this terrible situation. They were very concerned and thought something happened to me. I then went to Brooklyn Police station to open a fraud case (case no: CAS509/7/2019).

The next day, (I couldn't even sleep properly knowing some criminal have all my information and can do what he wants with it) I went to Vodacom in Brooklyn mall for them to explain and probably assist me in this. after waiting for literally 20 minutes+ to get assisted we explained to them exactly what happened and that this is really unacceptable.

I was together with my brother that time and we went back and forth explaining to them what happened and that how it's possible for Vodacom to allow this to happen. They told us that when I received the message at 17:37 I was supposed to reply 1 if I did not request a port. I was not with my phone the time I received most of these messages so I couldn't reply it. The strange thing is when you have a look at the first message at 17:31 you can see that the port request has already begun without my consent.

They told me that if I don't reply anything they will process the request, again without my consent, and activate the port! I mean, what??? Are you telling me that this could happen to any Vodacom customer if they not with their phone? This is definitely a huge flaw in their security systems and I had to go through all this embarrassment, humiliation, etc etc.

I managed to restore my Vodacom sim to back to its working state and emailed Vodacom's fraudulent department all evidence.

My information is out there for criminals to use just because of a system that's not properly implemented and it leaves millions of Vodacom users at risk of such attacks.

Screenshot_20190723-084015_Instagram.jpg
 
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I have tried to get the port system fixed for ages since launched but failed. Port requests can be started without any verification. Since the clamp down on sim swap fraud the new fraud is with port out requests on prepaid numbers.

If you are on prepaid I can request a port out on your number without you ever having to do a single thing.

You were supposed to stop the port out request by replying 1 to that SMS or call the port support helpline from Vodacom and stop it.

Since your number is already ported now call Vodacom port support now and say the port was fraudulent and have them reverse the port. A port reverse request takes about 2 hours and the old sim will be reactivated and number returned.
 
So you can port any prepaid number without id verification? What happened to them requiring id, etc?
 
R13... said:
So you can port any prepaid number without id verification? What happened to them requiring id, etc?
Click to expand...

That is just a procedure which can be ignored it's not a system requirement for a port request to be submitted. Sad but true.

I have a very easy number containing all of the same numbers. I deal with at least 1 or 2 fraudulent port requests monthly so I decided to move it to meandyou mobile so the port requests get declined automatically.

Prepaid does not have such a security feature unfortunately.
 
cavedog said:
That is just a procedure which can be ignored it's not a system requirement for a port request to be submitted. Sad but true.

I have a very easy number containing all of the same numbers. I deal with at least 1 or 2 fraudulent port requests monthly so I decided to move it to meandyou mobile so the port requests get declined automatically.

Prepaid does not have such a security feature unfortunately.
Click to expand...

I think there is a gap in how the other networks allow ports to be submitted on their system with prepaid numbers. On Vodacom, for a store to port your number over to Vodacom, we have to do a OTP to your MTN/CellC/Telkom etc number. We cant see what that OTP is. The customer receives it via SMS and then has to give it to the consultant. That OTP then gets submitted and only if it matches does the Vodacom system allow the port reqeust to go through to the donor network for approval.
 
Ockie said:
I think there is a gap in how the other networks allow ports to be submitted on their system with prepaid numbers. On Vodacom, for a store to port your number over to Vodacom, we have to do a OTP to your MTN/CellC/Telkom etc number. We cant see what that OTP is. The customer receives it via SMS and then has to give it to the consultant. That OTP then gets submitted and only if it matches does the Vodacom system allow the port reqeust to go through to the donor network for approval.
Click to expand...

Yes same with Telkom but as for some sim card distributors there is a loophole. Virgin Mobile has no verification. Cellc uses sms to port but calling port support they do it over the phone with no verification. MTN the same. The port request is coming from MTN side the whole time so not sure why MTN does not to verificationbut I just get messages Y'ello, MTN has recived your port request.....
 
I ported recently from MTN to Telkom (don't judge)
Everything happened on Telkom's side after I completed their port form. I received no sms on the MTN sim or anything of the sort, the port just went through.
So very easy to commit fraud this way unfortunately
 
ManBearPiggy said:
I hope im posting this at the right category, if not, kindly advice.

Hi guys,

The craziest thing happed with me yesterday! My Vodacom sim got deactivated without my consent and criminals activated and used my WhatsApp to ask and got money from most of my contacts. Please see below the following messages that I received before the fraud happened.

*snip*
Click to expand...


Maybe edit your post to remove your phone number from the sms's ....
 
ManBearPiggy said:
My Vodacom sim got deactivated without my consent
Click to expand...
This part happened to me about a year ago, except mine was a Telkom job. They didn't manage to get further than that though.
I think we can safely assume that this is one of the new tricks that communication companies use to commit fraud, without getting slapped on the wrist.

Sinbad said:
A R100 note contains all the necessary ID
Click to expand...
100!?:oops: It used to be 50!!! Boy, the inflation just kills you :p
 
I'm no expert but have been looking at this for some time now. Owning one of these special number with lots of repeating digits at the the end is no fun.

For a SIM swap which is how they get hold of these and other numbers they need some information to answer a couple of the challenge questions correctly. How they do this:

As many of the below as is required:

1) Please call me messages, if you respond they will have one answer.
2) Pay for me requests, if you accept it's like calling them, answer in the pocket.
3) SMSes from a corporate with one national number warning of woe if you do not respond. Don't respond, especially if you have no business with that corporate. Best call them from a different number.
4) Calls from other special/golden numbers, if you answer they have another answer and can claim that during that call you agreed to give them your number.
5) Calls at odd hours like before 04:00 in the morning, must be an emergency, right? Objective one is to get you to answer, second if to make you fed up with the number so that you abandon it. Then it is easy game.
6) Repeated calls from the same number in a short time, must be urgent right.?

When they have enough answers from above, the final step is to send you airtime which looks like a recharge. That completes the picture and they will swap your number and port it.

Be careful.
 
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