It’s high time the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) launched a probe into the distribution of free SIM cards at taxi ranks, train stations and malls by persons purporting to be agents of the network operators. The so-called agents have no proof of identification. What’s more worrying is that these SIM cards are distributed willy-nilly without the prospective subscribers being preregistered. This violates a law that seeks to counter crime committed through the use of unregistered SIM cards. Icasa and the network operators are sleeping on the job. With criminals having gone digital and the risk of unauthorised debit orders and credit card scams rising, network operators need to be fined for issuing unregistered SIM cards. I had the horrifying experience of someone using my lapsed contract cellphone number as his contact for fraudulent purposes. This serial offender acquired an FNB credit card, yet the bank couldn’t trace a copy of the agreement concluded between the ...
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