Incompetence MTN

Please find my complaint below and treat it as a formal complaint.

On Sunday 30 April 2023 at about 3pm I noticed that I was unable to make or receive any call on my MTN no. I was getting a voice note to RICA my SIM and I became suspicious that my SIM might me hacked. I went to MTN at East Rand Mall in Boksburg and was assisted by Maikie. I told Maikie of my suspicions and asked to check if all was in order, she confirmed that it is normal MTN practice to log SIM when RICA is required. I asked her to please check on the system for any suspicious activities and she re-assured me again that all was fine even after I insisted for her to double check. She offered to RICA my SIM (which was unsuccessful) and to make me buy a new SIM card and to a SIM Swap, the process of SIM swap also failed, she told me I can go home and check in few hours.

Around 4pm while on my phone my phone went blank and restarted to factory settings (see device sign off receipt attached) and that is when I realise that my suspicions were true. I call the Banks to block my banking apps and MTN customer service to block the contact number which they did and confirmed that a SIM swap was done on my number at 08:40 in the morning of Sunday 30 April 2023. While I was busy calling the different stakeholders my husband was getting calls from our family and friends to check on me as they received WhatsApp asking them to send R1500 eWallet as “I” have exceeded my daily limit and I needed money urgently, a few of my contacts sent the money and were even asked to add another R1500 which will be a total of R3000 and will be paid the following day in the morning.

I went back to MTN Boksburg again the following day Monday 01 May 2023 to meet Maike to let her know that I was being hacked at the time I come through to the branch and that she was to pick the activities on my SIM in their system. She still insisted that all was fine, and there is nothing that could have indicated that a SIM swap was done on my mobile number, and I should come see the screen for myself which I did, and I saw that a SIM swap was performed done at 08:40am (this was after I asked her to scroll down in the activity list). I pointed this out and she still maintained her innocent that there was nothing like that. She did another SIM swap on my mobile number, which was still unsuccessful, I was told yet again to go home and she will call when all was completed which she did (to remove the SIM and insert the following day in the morning) and again nothing happened.

I went back to MTN Boksburg again on Tuesday 02 May 2023 to complain about the SIM and she said I am at fault that it was not working, I didn’t follow the instructions confirmed via phone. A colleague of her’s offered to assist and did manage to override and got the SIM working. I wanted my mobile number back so I can reclaim all my accounts and App and make the necessary changes.

My complain key complains from the ordeal is as follows:

Maikie from MTN East Rand should have reviewed all the activities (including scrolling down to the last items for the day). This could have been prevented by MTN or I should have gotten an indication so I can prevent this myself. Maikie was negligent and inconsiderate of my suspicions instead of insisting that I am over thinking the whole hacking thing and that all was okay. Maikie never showed any empathy or sympathy on what I was going through. MTN should have trained their staff on TCF and POPI acts.

I have suffered a lot in the process as my identify was ****** and the process of getting back all that was taken and go reset my banking accounts.

I would like for some accountability in this matter.