Orange Liberia Fined Over Unauthorized SIM Swap and Customer Data Breach

The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has fined Orange Liberia LRD 4 million (approximately USD 20,000) after determining that the operator improperly issued a customer’s SIM card to a third party, leading to a breach of privacy and communications security.

The case centered on customer Zelah Johnson, whose mobile number became inactive in February 2024 after her SIM card was reportedly reassigned without her authorization. The individual who received the SIM card subsequently gained access to accounts linked to the number, leaving Johnson permanently locked out.

Following an investigation, the LTA concluded that Orange Liberia had failed to follow its own procedures and licensing obligations when issuing the replacement SIM card.

The regulator found that the operator did not adequately safeguard customer information, violating provisions of Liberia’s Telecommunications Act of 2007 related to confidentiality, data protection, and unauthorized access to telecommunications services.

In addition to the financial penalty, the LTA directed Orange Liberia to identify both the employee responsible for the SIM card issuance and the individual who obtained it.

The authority said the ruling underscores the critical importance of protecting consumer data and privacy, warning that telecom operators will face consequences for failures that put customer security at risk.

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