OLX launches mobile OTP verification

In a move to make trading as secure as it can possibly be, OLX has just become the first online trading site in South Africa to launch mobile 'one time pin' (OTP) verification for people opting to sell their goods and the first online classifieds service to encrypt all traffic to and from the site. This is in contrast to other South African online classifieds sites that still rely entirely on the outdated email verification method, which allows too wide a margin for suspicious activity.

The mobile verification system requires all users to have a valid and working South African cell phone number before they are able to sell via the platform. Since all such numbers are subject to South Africa's strict RICA laws, scammers can no longer operate with impunity.