In a move geared at ending the spate in SIM card swap fraud, telecommunication firm Safaricom has announced plans to introduce a new biometric verification feature for its customers.

According to the CEO, Bob Collymore, customers will be required to provide their finger prints when swapping their SIM cards as well as when acquiring new lines.

He indicated that, when the customer wants to swap a SIM which is active, he would have to follow a process to confirm the request before the swapping can be done.

“If you want to do SIM swap and the line is active, we will send a message with a request and you will have to confirm the request for the swap,” he said.

Due to the effects of SIM card fraud, the company has indicated that, anyone who is found guilty of such charges would have to face the repercussions.

Recently, a Member of County Assembly from Kiambu was a victim after he lost KSh 1.9 million through the elaborate syndicate.

Per reports, five suspects involved in the SIM swap fraud have been arrested following public outrage.

A Safaricom employee identified as Maurice Musoti and a Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) engineering student, Rian Obaga Nyagaka, are among others who were found to be in possession of 2,160 unused Safaricom SIM cards, 44 used cards, five till agent numbers, three MPESA Safaricom booklets and an internet router.

Others who have been arrested so far include Joseph Kuria Kariuki, Grace Wanjira and Meshack Okoth Okutawere.

By: StephanieHorsu/techvoiceafrica.com