Giant telecommunications company Safaricom, has introduced a feature that alerts a customer when someone tries to register a new SIM card using their ID number in a move to help the customer verify whether it is him/her trying to register for a new SIM or a fraud.
When one tries to register a new SIM card using a customer’s ID, the customer will receive an SMS through the number 707. The SMS will have two options; YES and NO. If the customer is the one trying to register a new SIM, they will reply with YES and if not, then they will press NO for the registration to be stopped.
The new feature is expected to expose fraudsters who have been using other people IDs to register multiple SIM cards and then use them to commit crimes as well as taking mobile loans but now this set to be a thing of the past.
Dear customer, a new number is about to be registered under your ID number. Please reply with YES to continue or NO to cancel the registration.
Through the extra security feature, and by clicking on the NO, Safaricom customers will be able, by the press of the button to:
Avoid fraudsters using customer’s identity to defraud others
Avoid being denied access to Safaricom products and services such as Fuliza.
Protect their line from being used to remove or transfer illegal funds.
Deny fraudsters an opportunity to using the customer’s line to take loans such as Fuliza and have them blacklisted on CRB.
Avoid fraudsters using the customer’s information to claim the next of kin funds.