Mobile money fraud is one of the major problems we have with our mobile money system. These fraudsters will find ways and means to take your money or take over your account.
This once happened to my grandpa where he sent my Christmas gift to these people, and I know many of you have been a victim of this.
In this article, I will explain some techniques that I know they use to get people to scam and I hope you will learn from them if these people call you.
Kindly read to the end because there are things to cover.
1. They will be like a relative exporting some things from abroad
This is how the conversation goes.
These fraudsters will call you with an unknown number to make you believe it is a foreign number because if they call with any local number you will know that the number is a local call.
Immediately you answer the call then they pretend to be your relative; like your sister mostly. And tell you she or he have sent you some things including money from abroad to Ghana here in your name so an agent will call you to come and clear those things.
Note that, this person will try not to give you time to think by pretending he or she is in trouble or busy and later end the call by giving you a number to call, that is the agent.
When you call that number, the agent will tell you to send them some amount of money for them to deliver your things to your location.
My advice to you is that, don’t expect anything from abroad if you have no relatives or friends there. Also, make sure you call the person you suspect to be personal line to confirm.
When this thing happens, make sure you report all their numbers to MTN.
2. Wrong Transaction
Also, they will try to send you an SMS which that will be like someone has sent you some money to your mobile money account. Two things you have to know is always there are typos in the message (wrong spellings and other errors) and the number that sent that message will be a regular MTN number (not a shortcode or MobileMoney).
Within a short time, you will get a call from someone claiming he has made a wrong transaction to your account. He will then tell you to send the money back or, they’ll call MTN to block your line.
Do not panic when you receive such calls with those threats, just tell them you are waiting.
Note that when an agent or someone made a wrong transaction and report to MTN, MTN will first confirm from their system if it is true. If it is true MTN will then halt your account and call you to confirm before deducting the money from your account.
MTN will never block you just because someone has reported they have made a wrong transaction to you.
If you get to know it is fraud kindly report their number to MTN.
Learn how to protect your MOMO Account
3. Your child has had an accident
These people may call you pretending to be a teacher of your ward, and inform you that your child is severely sick or had had an accident and he or she is in a critical condition so send them money immediately else your ward may lose his or her life.
I know any parent won’t take this lightly.
I encourage all parents to at least have some relationship with their wards’ school. You have to get the headmaster’s number, your child’s class teacher’s number to confirm if it is true before making any attempt to send money.
Also, if your child uses a phone make sure your call his or her number first.
4. You have won a promotion offer from a company
These people will call you that you have won a promotion from MTN.
They will then give you a number telling you it’s their manager or MTN’s CEO number. Then they will direct you to an agent to make a transaction.
Please do not fall for these lies. When you win a promotion MTN will officially call you with their office number 024 430 0000.
Watch the video below to have some fun. The person was smart enough to know they are fraudsters.
5. The Master plan
Now, this momo fraud has gotten to the next level.
As we are busily exposing all their tricks to the public, they’re also finding new ways through.
Why is this a master plan?
After they have called you with their usual trick, they now call you as an MTN representative trying to assist you. Be careful, do not let these people use their shallow brains to trick you.
The video below is a must, so watch it to understand and be aware of all their moves.
Conclusion
People are losing huge amounts of money especially those in the rural areas and our grandparents. Let us all get involved in fighting mobile money fraud by watching these videos with them and educating them on how they can protect their mobile money account.
