I was surprised today when I went to a Vodacom shop to try sort out the fraudulent SIM swap that happened, I asked them how they know I am the actual owner of the SIM. They looked around on the their system for a while and then said they can’t see who the owner is because it is a pre-paid SIM.
I asked them how then they confirm I have the right to do a SIM swap on a particular number, I got two answers, one was some long winded story about someone who checks the documents, I did not quite follow but thought that if it is an inside job then they have my documents to submit for a SIM swap. The other was that I would have to supply the PUK and PIN of the SIM then they will do it, but again when they typed my cell number into the system my PUK and PIN where clearly visible.
At the end of the day, they were willing to do a SIM swap for me, and they had no idea if I was the actual owner of the SIM.
After all this, multiple phone calls, two trips to my local Vodacom shop and it is still not sorted. I wish they had given the person who did the fraudulent SIM swap this many hassles, then it may not have happened in the first place.
I certainly don’t feel enough is done to protect me.