Developments in technology saw the invention of mobile phones and sim cards that made communication between people easier and faster.
Kenya, being among countries that embraced the new technology, saw the first mobile network providers begin operations in the country in 1999.
Today, the major mobile network operators in the country are Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom Kenya and Jamii Telecommunications Limited.
To use either of the networks services, one must first register a sim card number with his/her Identity Card. There is no limit on sim card numbers that can be registered with one’s ID but when it comes to Mpesa, that is with Safaricom, the maximum numbers to be registered are two.
Since the numbers registered with IDs is not limited, people can easily use another persons’ ID, with or without their knowledge, to register sim card numbers, with different motives including criminal activities.
Here are the simple steps that can lead you to discover if your ID number has been used to register a mobile number without you knowing.
First dial *106# on your mobile phone, a menu will pop up, the first option on the list is to check my numbers. By selecting the option, you will be able to see all the numbers that have been registered under your Identity Card and you can be able to tell which one were registered with your knowledge and the strange ones.
The *106# USSD code gives you a chance to take action against numbers that have been registered under your ID without your authorization.
That can simply be done by clicking on the second option on the main menu that reads, report unknown numbers. Here, more guidance will also be given on what to do next.
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