i decided to ask this question after certain events.

So i decided to call my late dads mobile number (its mtn tho) out if plain curiosity, I was surprised it rang n sumone picked it, i immediately established friendship wit this individual who intimated me on how he bought d number from mtn office. He explained dat immediately he inserted d number, calls started coming n even bank alerts...

Mind u, my late dad used dis number for more dan 10years n barely 2years after his death his number was sold to a new customer.

my questions:
the
1. Is it legal for mtn to do dis? (make i sue na na)

2. is dia a procedure for deactivating sim numbers? (i can imagine if dis sim had fallen into d hands of fraudsters)

my nairaland family pls advice..

Numbers are recycled by network providers after four months if it is no longer active (i.e if it is not inserted in a phone, no recharge made, no calls or text) and sold out to customers from other regions.

Inactive phone numbers are recycled and reissued to new customers after a particular period

So if I buy a new sim I could just use *737*1000# . Maybe the former owner had a gtb account. Or just search on Facebook and probably hack some1. .. just thinking out loud

@OP, your post made me remember when i lost my elder brother to a road accident, his bigger phone was not recovered. we called the number severally without success.

After some months, out of curiosity tried the number again, alas! it rang. i was scared when the receiver picked the call and i ended the call immediately, thinking it was a ghost.

Meanwhile, am still using his other number as my main line till date. it was my first line though.

I think the best is not to recycle the sim to avoid story that touch.

Henrypraise:
i decided to ask this question after certain events.

So i decided to call my late dads mobile number (its mtn tho) out if plain curiosity, I was surprised it rang n sumone picked it, i immediately established friendship wit this individual who intimated me on how he bought d number from mtn office. He explained dat immediately he inserted d number, calls started coming n even bank alerts...

Mind u, my late dad used dis number for more dan 10years n barely 2years after his death his number was sold to a new customer.

my questions:
the
1. Is it legal for mtn to do dis? (make i sue na na)

2. is dia a procedure for deactivating sim numbers? (i can imagine if dis sim had fallen into d hands of fraudsters)

my nairaland family pls advice..

. whether diseased or alive,once you make your sim inactive for a period of 3months or more,the network usually reproduce it and sell it back to the ready subscribers out there.

1zynnvn:
So if I buy a new sim I could just use *737*1000# . Maybe the former owner had a gtb account. Or just search on Facebook and probably hack some1. .. just thinking out loud

I tried this on a new Sim I bought after receiving a message from a bank which I don't have account with. Base on the message, I use the code to load 1,000 Naira and it was successful! I got alert on the Sim. The person has about 364k in his account.

It's been almost two months now, no call from the owner and no transaction has been done on the account - no deposit, no withdrawal. I'm beginning to think maybe the owner is dead o!

Fear no let me use the Sim again cos it was registered with my real details my drivers license and my real home address. Make efcc no come visit man.

So, in a case where someone died leaving money in his bank account his family does not know about, what would happen to the money?

Icecream4U:
I tried this on a new Sim I bought after receiving a message from a bank which I don't have account with. Base on the message, I use the code to load 1,000 Naira and it was successful! I got alert on the Sim. The person has about 364k in his account.

It's been almost two months now, no transaction has been done on the account and I'm beginning to think maybe the owner is dead o!

Fear no let me use the Sim again cos it was registered with my real details my drivers license and my real home address. Make efcc no come visit man.

So, in a case where someone died leaving money in his bank account his family does not know about, what would happen to the money?

You can go to the bank to lay a complaint so they deregister the line. I don't know if they'll do it sha. Meanwhile you fit epp me with the sim��

I believe a transfer of ownership was made.. i dunno sha https:///2GgkFK8

1zynnvn:


You can go to the bank to lay a complaint so they deregister the line. I don't know if they'll do it sha. Meanwhile you fit epp me with the sim��

Na naija we dey O. Instead, na to break the Sim troway. Ehn! Give you ke? So, you go dey flex money, dem go dey find me.

.

greenhulk:


This ur story get as e be. U need the last 4 digit of the acct owners ATM card or his pin to transfer airtime to a 3rd party number. (at least that's how it works for GTB, don't know about other Banks but I think it should be so for security reasons). So do u have the ATM card of the acct owners? Just curious.

How do you understand things? How did 3rd party number came into the matter?

Icecream4U:
How do you understand things? How did 3rd party number came into the matter?

Oh sorry my bad. I get it now.

I was surprised when I saw my former etisalat number on my whatsApp(didnt register WhatsApp with the number) contact list with a display picture of someone I haven't come across before

Icecream4U:
I tried this on a new Sim I bought after receiving a message from a bank which I don't have account with. Base on the message, I use the code to load 1,000 Naira and it was successful! I got alert on the Sim. The person has about 364k in his account.

It's been almost two months now, no call from the owner and no transaction has been done on the account - no deposit, no withdrawal. I'm beginning to think maybe the owner is dead o!

Fear no let me use the Sim again cos it was registered with my real details my drivers license and my real home address. Make efcc no come visit man.

So, in a case where someone died leaving money in his bank account his family does not know about, what would happen to the money?

please where u De make I come collect the sim

Henrypraise:
i decided to ask this question after certain events.

So i decided to call my late dads mobile number (its mtn tho) out if plain curiosity, I was surprised it rang n sumone picked it, i immediately established friendship wit this individual who intimated me on how he bought d number from mtn office. He explained dat immediately he inserted d number, calls started coming n even bank alerts...

Mind u, my late dad used dis number for more dan 10years n barely 2years after his death his number was sold to a new customer.

my questions:
the
1. Is it legal for mtn to do dis? (make i sue na na)

2. is dia a procedure for deactivating sim numbers? (i can imagine if dis sim had fallen into d hands of fraudsters)

my nairaland family pls advice..

Hi Henrypraise, please note that if there is no activity on a line for 365 days, it will be disconnected/recycled and another customer can purchase it. As regards the bank alerts, you will need to visit the bank to unlink the number from his account. In addition, I wish to inform you that I currently run a thread here called the MTN Customer care https://www.nairaland.com/1379574/mtn-customer-care-thread/ where issues like this are discussed and resolved.

a guy is using my former line, he has been receiving my bank alart from different banks and as well receiving calls from people who tried to called me. i let him suffered for 3 years before i change my bank alerts number.

seun, lalasticlala.

hmmm

kas

My ex girl friend had her late older sister's sim number for years before she moved out of the country some years ago. But adtet she travelled to italy she stop using it.

make I even call my old number and see who get am now

Icecream4U:
I tried this on a new Sim I bought after receiving a message from a bank which I don't have account with. Base on the message, I use the code to load 1,000 Naira and it was successful! I got alert on the Sim. The person has about 364k in his account.

It's been almost two months now, no call from the owner and no transaction has been done on the account - no deposit, no withdrawal. I'm beginning to think maybe the owner is dead o!

Fear no let me use the Sim again cos it was registered with my real details my drivers license and my real home address. Make efcc no come visit man.

So, in a case where someone died leaving money in his bank account his family does not know about, what would happen to the money?

The account is supposed to become inactive after 6months and dormant after 1yr so you cant get money out again after that period. And the money would just stay that way with the bank.

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This shouldn't bother you, once the telco noticed the line has been inactive for 90days: no record for calls and recharge, such line will be deactivated for the current user and resold to another subscriber.

.

Recycled if not use for a certain period of time......

After reading all the comments, I have just come to terms that, uninformed and uncouth persons are those behind most moniker here on Nairaland. You mean you don't know your network recycles numbers that have been inactive for 3months.

Whew! jeez

I can never forget an incident that happened in this regard

I decided to delete unwanted numbers from my phone and saw an aunt's number who died a few years back. Curiousity got the best part of me and i decided to flash the number. Probably out of fear, i didnt allow it ring before i cut off.

Apparently it rang and the new owner decided to pay me back with evil, he decided to call back by 2 or 3am! You bet i almost died when i saw her number calling at that ungodly hour needless to say i deleted the number instantly

JideSM:


Hi Henrypraise, please note that if there is no activity on a line for 365 days, it will be disconnected/recycled and another customer can purchase it. As regards the bank alerts, you will need to visit the bank to unlink the number from his account. In addition, I wish to inform you that I currently run a thread here called the MTN Customer care https://www.nairaland.com/1379574/mtn-customer-care-thread/ where issues like this are discussed and resolved.

Is the 365day window a general rule for all networks or just exclusive to mtn?

Hmm: I think a next of kin should be contacted before lines are deactivated cos out numbers have virtually become our identity, I log into my facebook with my phone number and some other private stuff, so I or my family should be contacted before my line is deactivated should in case I receive a call to glory.