How to do sim swap on MTN South Africa 2023

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How to do sim swap on MTN South Africa 2023

How to do sim swap on MTN South Africa 2023

MTN Group Limited (previously M-Cell) is a multinational mobile telecommunications business based in South Africa that operates in a number of African and Asian nations. Its headquarters are in Johannesburg.

 

MTN had 280 million users as of December 2020, making it the world’s eighth largest mobile network operator and the largest in Africa. Active in over 20 countries, Nigeria accounts for one-third of the company’s sales, with a 35% market share.

MTN Group is the major sponsor of South Africa’s national rugby union side, as well as Manchester United of English football and the Zambian Super League. The group’s Nigerian affiliate also has an existing sponsorship agreement with the Nigerian Football Federation.

 

MTN South Africa SIM Swap 2023

This guide shows you step-by-step how to swap your MTN SIM card and find your lost MTN number. Questions are asked, requirements are given, and what you need to do is talked about in full.

How does MTN Sim Swap work?

MTN Sim swap is a simple, easy, and cost-effective customer service that lets MTN Pay as you go mobile phone users get and keep their MTN number if their SIM card was lost, stolen, or damaged.

When you do an MTN SIM swap, you should know that it can take up to 4 hours to finish. Most of the time, it goes much faster when the network isn’t busy. Don’t swap SIM cards after 7 p.m., because it won’t work.

The best time to swap SIM cards is between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., so that your new SIM will be ready to use around 8 p.m. Sometimes if you do it on weekends, it does not work till Monday!!

Why Lost Number Sim Swap

First of all, this guide is about how to do a sim swap with MTN in South Africa. If you are in Nigeria or another country where MTN operates and provides services, the instructions will be posted later.

 

how to sim swap mtn

 

I decided to put out this guide so that you won’t fall for MTN sim swap fraud. This tutorial is a self-service, step-by-step guide for you to do it yourself.

Sometimes, you might have bought a new phone and found that your MTN SIM card is too big to fit in the sim slot. Most people who have used MTN for more than 5 years are used to this. There was nothing like a Macro, Micro, or Nano SIM card back then.

MTN is the most popular telecom sim card in South Africa, in part because of the free daily “Please Call me back” feature. However, because of the high crime rate, especially in the informal sector, the network is often lost.
Most SASSA grants, including the R350 grants, are directly linked to your mobile number. If you lose your mobile number, you won’t be able to get your grant money. Because of this, getting your lost MTN number back is important.
Even though some people complain that their airtime goes away, MTN has found ways to fix this.

 

What are the requirements for a SIM swap, and what do you need?

How do I get back my old MTN number? After reading my earlier guide on how to switch from Vodacom to MTN, someone asked me this question on Twitter. I told the woman what she needs to do to get her lost phone number back.

For a SIM swap, you’ll need the following things;

 

A new SIM card for an MTN starter pack

Register the new SIM card in your name (this is very important). Even though the ones that aren’t registered in your name will still work, it’s best to register it in your name for future use. If you want to learn how to self-RICA, check out this guide on how to self-RICA with an MTN SIM card.
Your ID, proof of address, or affidavit (this is not needed if you swap SIM cards online or with a USSD code; you only need it if you go to a physical location).

MTN outlets.

How to Change MTN SIM Cards 2023?

Before I tell you how to find your lost MTN number and get it back, I think you should be ready to answer some security questions.

The reason is that if you try to change your SIM card yourself by dialing the USSD code *135# or calling 135 and fail three times, you won’t be able to try again for 30 days. So you should get to know these security questions and know how to answer them.

Try as much as possible to just call *135# and pass, because you won’t be asked as many questions as if you went to their office or called 135

What are you called?

This is a normal rule that should be followed. When you call 135 or go to their office, you will be asked this question.

How long have you used the MTN Number?
This is the most important question to ask when you call or enter *135#. Now, you need to stay calm and give your answer a lot of thought. So, before you try the SIM swap by yourself, you should read this guide and make sure you are ready.

Now, your choices will be presented in the following way:

0-36 weeks
0 to 6 months
Six months to a year
between 1 and 3 years
2-4 years
Over five years
Now, if you switched from another network like Cell C, Telkom, or Vodacom to MTN, you should choose the time when it started working as the time you’ve been using it.

So think carefully before making a decision. You might try to connect when you got the number to when you met your boyfriend, girlfriend, or got a job. This trick works every time.

Have you done a sim swap with this number before, and if so, when?
Think about your answer before you give it. If you’ve ever lost your MTN number and got it back through SIM swap, say yes and try to remember when. It’s important to know if you’ve changed the number on your SIM card before.

Do you agree on anything?

From what I’ve seen, you are automatically on MTN points if you’ve had your MTN number for more than 4 years ( though many people do not about it). But if you just less than 1 year, just say NO, unless you are 100 percent sure you are.

Second, if the SIM card was registered in your name and ID as a South African, there is an 80% chance that you are on MTN points.

How much was the last time you topped up your airtime?

Try as hard as you can to figure out the answer. If you can’t remember, buy any amount of airtime, like R2 or R5, and put it straight on the lost number. So, this is the last time you will buy or refill airtime.

When did you last fill up your airtime?

If you use the trick above, you should be able to tell what time it is. If you use this trick, you will need to wait about 10 minutes before you can start the MTN SIM swap process.

What kind of phone did you have?

If your answers to the questions above aren’t convincing enough, you’ll be asked this one. This security question asks about the last phone or smartphone where the lost SIM card was put. If you lost the phone with the SIM card, you should know the phone.

You will be given choices, and you should know your phone number!!

Now, when you dial *135#, you won’t be asked for the last three numbers you called, the numbers you used to call often, etc. Read the rules that come next.

But if you call 135 or go to their office, you can expect to be asked all of these questions, like what was the last number you called and how often.

Now, let us get started!!

MTN Sim swap can be done in three ways;
USSD code *135# should be dialed
Doing MTN SIM swap online
Going to the MTN office? Use USSD code *135# to call *135#
Before I explain, you need to know two things.

If you already have an MTN sim card, which means that your number is still active, you may only need to change the size.
You don’t have your old MTN number, which means that the SIM card has been lost, stolen, or badly damaged. It means that it doesn’t work.
Without the MTN number you already have
This method is for you if you don’t have your old MTN number because it was lost, stolen, or damaged. You can self-swap your MTN SIM by dialing the MTN USSD code and following the instructions with a smile.
Put the newly registered MTN SIM card, which is called a ricad, into the phone.
Wait until the MTN SIM card is activated and you get welcome messages from MTN. Then, dial *136# to activate the SIM card.
Then, dial *135# and pick option 5. You will be asked a few questions. After this, you’ll get an SMS, and that SMS will tell you what to do next.
If the message says to call 135 or use affidavit, this method won’t work.
If the message says to dial *135# and follow the instructions, the MTN SIM swap should work almost 40% of the time.

When you dial *135# for the second time, MTN will ask you the following questions about the SIM swap: “Is the SIM card in the phone?” “How do you want to do the SIM swap?” etc. chose questionnaire
Some questions will be asked, such as if you have points, when you last refilled your airtime and how much you did, if you have data, etc.
On any question that you fail, you have 3 options more. If you answer these questions wrong three times, MTN will block your phone for one month.
After a month, you can start the sim swap all over again.
Once you answer the security questions correctly, you will get two (2) SMS/messages confirming your account.
The first message will tell you that the SIM swap worked and that it will be ready in 2 to 4 hours. (But don’t pay the agents yet; the second message is the final and most important one.) The second message will come, usually within 5–10 minutes. It will say, “The SIM swap was successful. Please wait 24 hours.” If you see this message, my friend, you can be sure that the SIM swap worked and that you will get your MTN number back.
But if the second message says, “Bring your affidavit to the police station or call 135,” the SIM swap did not work.
Please wait until the second message and make sure you get it. Many people have given money to people claiming to be MTN agents, only to find out later that the MTN SIM swap didn’t work. You must wait and make sure you see this second message!!

 

mtn sim swap

Already having an MTN number

If you already have an MTN number, you can use this second method by dialing a USSD code. Follow the steps below.
Text “SIM swap” from your current SIM number to 44770
You will get a one-time password (OTP) that works for 15 minutes.
Then, send an SMS to 44770 with the word “swap” and your old number OTP# from your new MTN sim cards. For example, if your MTN number is 0731112222 and the OTP you received is 1234, you will need to send the following message to 44770: swap 07311122221234#.
When your old SIM card stops working, put in your new MTN sim card and turn on your phone.
Your new SIM card will be ready, and you’ll be able to make and take calls.

 

Experiencing problem, just call 135!!

Doing MTN SIM swap online 2023

At the moment, there is no way to do an MTN SIM swap online. You can either call 135 from a newly registered MTN start pack or visit an MTN store. Follow the prompts if you pay as you go, or call *135# as shown above.
Going to the office of MTN

If nothing else works, the last thing you can do is go to any MTN store or office near you. But keep in mind that you will need the following documents to do your SIM swap. This is how to do mtn sim swap.

Your South African ID card, passport (if you are not a South African citizen), or asylum application that clearly shows your name.
Proof of address or affidavit that has been checked
Answers to some questions that will be asked of you, such as when you last bought airtime or called the last two people.

 

Questions People Usually Ask

Here are some of the most common questions asked when you do a SIM swap for your MTN number:

Can I switch my MTN sim card without the old one?

Yes, that’s why the SIM swap happened in the first place. The most important thing is that you know the number of your old sim and can answer the questions that are asked. But it will be hard if you don’t know your number, which is the number on your old SIM card that you lost.

How do I change my MTN SIM card if my phone has been stolen?

Yes, if your phone gets stolen, you can do MTN SIM swap. To do this, you will follow the second option of doing SIM swap without your existing number.

Follow this instructions below:

Get a new registered ( ricad) MTN sim card; it is advisable it should be registered in your name
Put the newly registered MTN SIM card, which is called a ricad, into the phone.

Wait until the MTN SIM card is activated and you get welcome messages from MTN. Then, dial *136# to activate the SIM card.

Then, dial *135# and pick option 5. You will be asked a few questions. After this, you’ll get an SMS, and that SMS will tell you what to do next.

I explained all this steps above ( scroll up) ( scroll up)