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Screen users against over 1100+ global sanctions, PEP, adverse media watchlists and 170K+ news sources.
Verify users against reliable government sources
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Access reliable records from Africa's business registries
Automatically spot anomalies to prevent fraud on your platform
Easily confirm bank account ownership
Validate phone number records in South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya
Screen users against over 1100+ global sanctions, PEP, adverse media watchlists and 170K+ news sources.
Retrieve personal information from government records and match a selfie to official ID photo.
Match personal information against official government records.
Confirm the identity of an existing user.
Enhanced DocV authenticates and cross-references documents with government databases in one step.
Retrieve business records and stakeholder information from the official business registry
Identify users attempting to create multiple accounts using facial biometrics.
Retrieve personal information from official government records.
Verify the authenticity of an ID document and match a selfie to the ID card photo.
Emmanuel Agwu
In South Africa, compliance with the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA) is not just a legal requirement but a critical step for businesses in maintaining trust, ensuring data privacy, and preventing criminal activity. Introduced in 2005, the RICA mandates telecommunications service providers, businesses, and other entities involved in communication services to track, record, and store customers' personal information as a measure to curb crime. This regulation helps law enforcement agencies intercept communications in cases of criminal investigations, ensuring a balance between security and individual privacy.
Non-compliance with RICA can result in severe penalties, including hefty fines and even imprisonment for responsible executives. For businesses, this presents a dual responsibility: adhering to the technical requirements of the Act while ensuring that customer data is managed securely. With increasing data breaches globally, compliance with RICA is essential to safeguarding personal information and preventing its misuse.
The Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication Related Information Act, or RICA, is a key piece of legislation for anyone engaged in communication activities in South Africa. It plays a critical role in ensuring that private communications remain private and are protected from illegal interception.
RICA stands for the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication Related Information Act. This South African law regulates how communications can be intercepted and monitored. It covers both paper-based and electronic communications. By defining clear rules, RICA helps protect personal and sensitive information from unauthorised access.
Failure to comply can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Compliance involves understanding and implementing the necessary measures to ensure communications are intercepted only under lawful conditions.
RICA requires businesses in South Africa, particularly telecom providers, to verify the identity of users before activating SIM cards.
This includes collecting and validating personal or business information such as ID numbers, residential addresses, and phone numbers. Telecom providers must also retain records of these verifications to ensure compliance with legal obligations.
Telecom providers are required to verify the following business information:
Telecom providers are required to verify the following individual information:
Smile ID offers cutting-edge biometric and identity verification technology that makes it easier for telecom providers to meet the specific RICA requirements for both business and individual verifications.
With Smile ID’s Business Verification Solution, organisations can easily conduct Corporate KYC processes and onboard businesses faster. Our technology empowers you to collect customer information and verify them in minutes.
For individual compliance requirements, our identity verification solution empowers financial institutions to verify over 8500 identity documents across 226 countries globally, including South Africa. Businesses can also conduct government KYC checks in South Africa on customers.
Smile ID offers a comprehensive solution for telecom providers and other businesses required to comply with the RICA. By automating the verification process for both individuals and businesses, Smile ID enhances the accuracy, security, and efficiency of customer onboarding.
Get started today, book a free demo to see how our solution can automate your process and save you time and resources.
We are equipped to help you level up your KYC/AML compliance stack. Our team is ready to understand your needs, answer questions, and set up your account.