The worst security process and customer experience EVER

HELLOPETER

On Friday 28 Feb my phone was ****** with my two cell c sim cards in it. On Saturday 29 Feb I began the process of trying to get sim swaps for my two numbers. I am disappointed by the processes that they have in place and how irrational and inconvenient they are for us customers.

A) At the store: When I went to the Cell C stores at the V & A waterfront and Golden Acre Mall, I was told that I would need to provide my ID, proof of address and the 5 last dialled numbers. I provided them with the ID and proof of residence, but I could not provide them with the last 5 numbers I dialled, because:

1. My phone had been ****** and the information they were requesting could reasonably be expected to be found on my phone in my call logs or contact list to which I obviously have no access, but they were unreasonably expecting me to have that information memorised 2. I call a lot of uber and bolt drivers and obviously don't memorise their numbers

The agent with whom I spoke sympathised, but despite my being physically present in store with my identity document and POA - the identity documents used to RICA the sim cards - could offer no further assistance as he was bound by Cell C's ill-considered security policy. I then asked if I could provide an affidavit stating that my phone was ****** with the two sim cards in question as additional proof. They said no.

Complaint: I do not understand why the documentation used to verify our identities for RICA purposes of a particular mobile number and SIM card serial number cannot be used to verify to whom the RICA'ed mobile number in question belong. I see no logical reason that our 5 last dialled numbers are a better security measure than our government-issued identity documents, POAs, physical presence in store and affidavits.

If a customer’s phone has been ******, it is unreasonable to expect that they recite the last 5 numbers they dialled in their call log verbatim, from memory. It is a rather unrealistic, irrational and illogical expectation to have. It is inconsiderate and a huge inconvenience.

B) The Call Centre: When I called the call centre, every agent with whom I spoke was professional. I was expected to prove that I am the owner/ user of the sim cards by answering a range of security questions- reasonably so. The questions themselves, however, not so much.

1) I had to recite the exact dates of my last recharges on both sim cards, 2) the amounts thereof, 3) the methods of recharge, 4) two of my most frequently dialled numbers and 5) if I had an active data bundle.

Complaint: - It is unreasonable to expect that we customers recite the exact date of recharge when we have no manner of checking that information if one’s phone has been ****** - It is unreasonable to expect that we will be able to recite the last two numbers we dialled in out call log verbatim, from memory. If our device has been ******, we obviously have no way of knowing exactly what those last two dialled numbers are. We don't memorise our call logs, and it is unreasonable to expect that of us, especially those who have had their phones ****** - If we cannot recall or access the exact date we purchased airtime or data, it is unlikely that we will remember whether we had an active bundle or not since Cell C offers a variety of bundles including 5-day and 30-day bundles. - Two most frequently dialled numbers also leaves quite a lot of room for error if you call several people frequently

Solution:

I believe that two alternative security processes can be instituted to better assist us customers:

1. Lost or damaged sim cards - If a customer's sim card is lost or damaged, but they have access to their contact list and call logs, the current security processes are sufficient and effective.

2. ****** devices - If a customer's phone (and sim card) is ******, it is sufficient that they provide their ID, an affidavit and a recent POA to warrant a sim swap. They will also have provided the required documents for RICA purposes. Cell C cannot have such an unreasonably high expectation of the capacities of a customer's memory when their phone has been ****** and they have no manner of accessing the information Cell C presently requires.

3. Your engineers need to build a system that makes room for deviation and stop with the ’exact answer’ requirement - they could build a programme or a Google doc even which displays a customer could have a profile (given that they provide ID to RICA a SIM card and a mobile number to begin with anyway) with all of the customer information and the agents can stop checking for exact information, but date ranges, amount ranges, the customer’s call history, year they sign-ed up, year they ported in to Cell C, ID number.

I urge someone from Cell C to contact me directly to discuss this matter further and find a solution to my present dilemma. I would hate to lose my business and personal mobile numbers over flawed and easily rectifiable processes.