[kictanet] Safaricom repossessing numbers (What the heck!)

[Twahir Hussein Kassim]

Totally agree with you Maria!

On Fri, Sep 4, 2020, 10:37 PM maria at afrikaict via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Hi Brian and Listers:
>
> That’s odd but understandable. Have had my Safcom for the 20 years I have
> been Washington DC Diaspora and yes there are times I have been gone for
> several months fortunately not YEARS at a go!
>
> So the secret is just loading enough airtime and doing one small
> transaction like buying airtime once a month!
>
> I did however have a shocking one with my Telkom Kenya line I have used
> for 18 months 0770722018 just rudely assigned to someone else yet I was
> MOSTLY in Kenya and used this LINE DAILY as the BETTER MORE AFFORDABLE
> OPTION!
>
> Our Telcos can be RIDICULOUS in “FOLLOWING” set out regulations in a VERY
> SELECTIVE MANNER!
>
> My SAFCOM MY MAISHA MY IDENTITY! I feel for you Ndugu Longwe, That one
> fight it out hata kama ni KORTINI!
>
> My two cents take on the matter!
>
> Baraka,
> Maria
>
> On Friday, September 4, 2020, Brian Munyao Longwe via kictanet <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
>> Hi folk,
>>
>> It's been a long time. I hope you are all well?
>>
>> So - mimi niko na issue.
>>
>> My Safaricom number 0715964281 has apparently been repossessed and sold
>> to someone else. The other day I opened up my Safaricom app to send some
>> m-pesa to my daughter as she transits through Nairobi from Malaysia and
>> shock on me! It displayed the name as "Beatrice Chelangat"
>>
>> As many of you know - I have been "diaspora" for a good number of years
>> (close to 9) and am currently based in Malawi. I went to the Kenyans in
>> Malawi Whatsapp group and mentioned the issue and was told that my line is
>> gone because I failed to top up in over 6 months. (This is very true, I
>> think the last time I used the line was more than 8 months ago).
>>
>> What I find surprising is that this has never been a problem in the
>> preceding 9+ years that I have been diaspora. My line has many times gone
>> more than 6,7,8 months without a topup - but always "wakes up" when I load
>> airtime. And m-pesa has always worked. What gives?
>>
>> I am distressed because my m-pesa, my e-Citizen, NTSA, bank accounts and
>> many other digital assets / identity related items are linked to this
>> number which I have had for the past 15+ years. My digital identity (and
>> that of many others in similar predicament) is at risk. How did CA allow
>> this kind of reappropriation to happen without an extensive process?
>>
>> I would expect that at a minimum - after the expiry of a period of
>> non-use, and several alerts sent to the number Safaricom (or any other
>> mobile operator) should publish a gazette notice listing numbers (and
>> associated registered persons) they want to deactivate/repossess and allow
>> a period (3 months?) for the owners to claim their number. At the end of
>> this period then admittedly no one should complain.
>>
>> Otherwise as far as I am concerned I have just been the victim of a
>> sim-cloning scam perpetrated by the same company that provides me with the
>> telecoms service!
>>
>> I would like to hear what the thoughts of the many much brighter people
>> than me on this group are....
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Mblayo
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
>
>
> ****************************Dr. Mary Ngunyi*
> *Afrika ICT Strategies Inc.*
> *Technology Consultant*
> *US:1-301-642-5345;KE:+254-733-503-110;770722018;722802420*
> *mariangunyi at gmail.com <mariangunyi at gmail.com> *
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