The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has again explained
to telecoms consumers on why it reviewed and made the process of
replacing lost, stolen or damaged Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
cards more stringent.
The Commission made the clarification while addressing various
service-related concerns and issues raised by telecoms consumers
during a Consumer Conversation Programme (CCP) hosted by the
Commission in Lafia, Nasarawa State at the weekend.
The CCP is designed by the Commission to engage telecoms
consumers and educate them on the various consumer-centric
initiatives put in place by the Commission to protect their rights
and interests, while also serving as a feedback mechanism to
address consumer concerns.
Speaking at the event, Director, Zonal Operations Department of
NCC, Mrs. Amina Shehu, said the Commission has found that, at
times, a subscriber may be having issues with his or her phone
number, thinking that it is a network issue, but by the time he or
she discovers what is happening, money has been fraudulently taken
out of his or her bank account.
Shehu, who was represented at the forum by a Principal Manager
in the Zonal Operations, Mr. Ekisola Oladisun, said SIM swap or
replacement fraud has a lot of issues attached to it because, often
times, a lot of people who are not the owners of some numbers go to
do SIM swap at various customer centres of the service
providers.
“There have been cases of fraudulent activities done on people’s
bank accounts, as a result of SIM swap and the victims often
complain to the Commission expecting that the NCC would compensate
them!
“To stop this SIM swap fraud, the Commission in 2017 developed
‘Guidelines on SIM Replacement’, which sets water-tight rules for
telecoms consumers to replace their SIM card when there is a need
for it. The Guidelines sets stringent conditions which require that
consumers identify themselves properly before replacing lost SIM.
This is to ensure that telecoms subscribers are well protected from
being victims of SIM swap fraud,” she said.
She stated that the Commission has noted that there is the
likelihood by subscribers to think that network providers are
putting them through stress to have their SIM replaced, by asking
them to bring court affidavit, national identification card (or
other valid IDs), SIM pack, amongst other requirements.
“But what telecoms consumers should know is that they must
appreciate the fact that all the information being required from
them is to establish that anybody coming for SIM swap proves that
the number that is being requested to be swapped belongs to
him/her,” she said, urging the consumers to immediately report to
their respect bank to block their accounts once they lose SIMs that
linked with their bank accounts.
At the forum attended by leaders of the communities, trade
associations connected to telecoms business, women groups,
communications professionals, telecoms service providers as well as
representatives of security agencies in Lafia, the Commission also
enlightened the consumers on other initiatives of the Commission
aimed at protecting the consumers.
These include the activation of the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442
Short Code to curb unsolicited text messages, the NCC toll-free
line 622 which consumer can utilise to report complains pertaining
to unresolved issues with service providers to the Commission,
quality of service issues, billing issues, mobile number
portability (MNP) as well as issues revolving around data
descriptions and renewals.
Shehu urged the consumers who attended the event “to be
ambassadors of the Commission by helping to pass the information
and education they have received at the event to other telecoms
consumers who may not be aware of such consumer-centric
initiatives.”