VODACOM SIMSWAP *****

On the 3 November, I logged onto my banking app and noticed that R200 airtime was purchased on my number 076*******@ from cellphone banking. This number is linked to my cellphone banking. I immediately went to put my cellphone on, as I do not carry this phone with me. It stays at my home permanently. I noticed that the phone did not have any network and read sim not provisioned. My wife immediately transferred the remaining funds from my bank account , as a payment was just done to me. I then contacted FNB ***** department and notified them that there was a simswop done **********ly and they immediately froze all my accounts. The FNB consultant advised me to call Vodacom and report this. I tried calling the call centre on 082 135 numerous times but could not get through as there are only options for self service. There is also a voice prompt notifying you that Vodacom is experiencing high call volumes... please try again later. I then called my number from my other cellphone and a guy answered. I then told him I would like to speak to J****. He said to me that I have the wrong number, so I asked him how and where he got this number from, he says he took a contract today and Vodacom gave him this number. So I asked him, is this a contract number ? he said yes and then asked him if it is a contract why is he putting airtime ,he said he did not and cut the call.

On the 4 November I went to Vodacom store at Liberty Midlands Mall at about 9.30am, as there was no other way of me reporting this ***** on any of the numbers listed on the Vodacom website. The consultant did a sim swop back to me and notified me the sim card will be activated within 4 hrs. I tried calling my number after a few hours to check if the card was activated on my side and it rang but not on my phone. The number was still with the ********* and this guy phoned me back and said he bought that card off the street and after work he would get a new number. That afternoon the card was still not activated so I rushed back to the store before they could close. The consultant then notified me that the simswop that was done by herself was reversed or cancelled and the ********* has requested that the number be ported to a different network. The port process was still pending so she blocked the number and did another simswop. We again tried calling the call centre from the Vodacom store as this matter needed to be escalated before the porting was approved and we were again unsuccessful in getting hold of the Vodacom call centre.

My wife also notified Vodacom about this through facebook messenger stating that someone from the ***** department needs to contact my husband and an alternate number was given. This needed urgent attention, as it was clear that ********* was trying very hard to keep this number. On facebook messenger we did get a response... THANKFULLY, however after explaining the situation was asked questions like PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH THE CONTACT NUMBER OF THE CALLER( who is the caller and what the hell are they referring to?) Then KINDLY ADVISE HAVE YOU BEEN IN TOUCH WITH OUR ***** DEPARTMENT - Please explain how do we contact anyone in Vodacom when all you are given is voice prompts for self service and WE ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH CALL VOLUMES ... PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER and then the call is cut.

I would like for Vodacom to explain how a simswop was done without notification and which consultant authorised the simswop. Also I know for security reason, you are requested to provide 5 numbers before a simswop is done – how was this authorised? I would also like to enquire who reversed or cancelled the simswop that was done by the consultant at the Vodacom store on the 4 November, as to me it seems like these ********** are either working at Vodacom or have contacts in Vodacom to authorise their ********** activities. It also seems that these ********** have access to FNB as well, as the ********* were able to log on cellphone banking without my password that is required for cellphone banking.

Vodacom needs to provide a customer care line that people can get through too... Not a voice automated system when there are emergencies such as these. It is unacceptable that you cannot get through to anyone at Vodacom, the numbers at their stores do not even work.