On May 31, 2022, Safaricom, a leading telco service provider in Kenya, took a significant step to combat SIM swap fraud by introducing a SIM Swap Self-Whitelist service.
The service, which can be accessed by dialing 100100# from a Safaricom number, allows customers to whitelist their lines, thereby preventing unauthorized replacements and reducing the risk of falling victim to SIM swap fraud.
According to Safaricom, the SIM Swap Self-Whitelist service is available to both prepaid and postpay customers and can only be done by the account holder themselves, not on someone else's behalf.
Once a customer has whitelisted their number, they will receive a notification if someone attempts to swap their SIM card without their knowledge or consent.
"When you receive the below notification of an attempted SIM swap on your line that you did not initiate, 'Dear customer, we have received your SIM SWAP request. If you are not aware of this, kindly dial 100100# immediately to stop the swap. Thank you,'" Safaricom warned customers to be vigilant.
