ZAMBIA has continued to record an increase in use of digital financial services. “MOBILE money transactions in Zambia increased to K105.6 billion by the end of last year from K49.6 billion in 2019, representing a 113 per cent increment, according to Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA).
According to ZICTA, MTN Zambia Limited and Airtel Zambia Limited continued to dominate the ICT market with 45.3 per cent and 35.5 per cent of the market, respectively, compared to Zamtel’s 19.2 per cent.
The aim of is articles is to drive a positive awareness against mobile money scammers. This article begun by giving brief status of the mobile money situation in Zambia. We defined the key terms, explain the types of scams. This week we will randomly collect social media posts and finally ways to avoid being scammed.
According to the Zambia Information and Technology Authority (ZICTA) ICT Sector Annual Market Report, mobile money transactions in the country leaped to an historic high of over K105 billion in 2020 compared to just K49.6 billion in 2019, representing a 113 per cent hike”.- News Diggers.
I took some time reviewing what consumers, service providers and the regulators are saying about the mobile money scam.
Brenda Nglazi Zulu, (Facebook Post), MOBILE MONEY SCAM. When you receive a call asking you to send money back because someone has sent you money to you by mistake do not send money. If truly you have received money in your mobile phone, it will be from an Airtel labelled Short Message Service (SMS).
DO NOT SEND MONEY TO SUCH
Dear Customer, you have received ZMW 190.00 from 779716617 Kapesa febby. Dial *778# to check your new balance. Txn ID: PP211218.1245.H34640. THIS PERSON IS A SCAMMER
Ilishebo Michael, (Facebook Post), Mobile Money Fraud – (Zero Day). Think of it, how many of our citizens have received those Mobile Money Alerts about ‘mistaken transactions’ and requests for reversal of that transaction or simply falling for that trick of checking your balance. Almost everyone has received those texts from scammers.
In order for these scammers to deploy a successful ‘heist’, two situations acts as enablers…a vulnerability in the mobile money system and an uninformed account holder.

1. System Vulnerability – Let us face it, who will disclose ‘akalilo’ if it brings you food on your table? Absolutely no one. In this context, akalilo is a system vulnerability that scammers use for their illegal act. Even if the Police arrest 2,000 of these scammers in a week, as long as that vulnerability is not addressed (patched) by the Service Providers, that akalilo will be open to further exploitation. The earlier this system vulnerability is patched, the better for everyone.
2. Uninformed Account Holder (Citizenry) – Surely, how would he or she receive a mobile money alert text from an Individual number and not from Mobile Money Provider…this beats me, but of course I understand because we have individuals like Mwiinga Cheelo and Shi Kay Igwee Musefwe whose interest lie in the content of the text and not the source. It is individuals like these two who represent the majority of the general citizenry who are victims of social engineering tactics.**.
   (Ignore the humour part, this is a serious matter as people have lost huge sums of money).
   (NOTE: Some Mobile Money Agents could be accomplices in this act. They sit on huge clients mobile money log data)
   The two ‘enablers’ discussed above are a vehicle used by the scammers to deploy a successful hit. As long as the system USSD allow for remote withdraw of funds (the vulnerability continued existence), people’s hard earned money will continue to be stolen.
   The onus lies with the Service Providers to continuously address any vulnerability that lies in their system. This can be done through ‘Bug Bounty Hunter’ programs that will reward anyone who exposes a vulnerability on their system. This will encourage would be scammers to earn money legitimately while protecting the system from further exploit.
   Be Cyber Alert…Interrogate…Think
   Ilishebo Michael, (Facebook Post). To combat and mitigate the increase in Mobile Money Frauds, there is need to priorities the enforcement of the Data Protection Act and operationalise the Office of Data Protection Commissioner.
   Cyber Fraud doesn’t just happen without it being enabled by the way Personal Data is handled by both Individuals, Organisations and Mobile Network Operators.
   Apparently, the current state by which Personal Data is handled and processed in the country leaves much to be desired. Our data is in the open for all to see and access. One must only know where to look and the rest is for takes.
   Data Protection is cardinal in the fight against Cyber Crime.
   Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (Facebook Post), Beware of Prize Scams
   Your network service provider will never request you to send money to retrieve a prize that you have ‘won’; especially not in a competition you did not enter.
   Chitimukulu Musungu Bwembya, SAFE SOCIAL. Think before you send that money back!!…it may not have been sent accidentally after-all.
   Ilishebo Michael, There are three ‘’Layers of Security’’ between money in your bank account and yourself.
3. The Bank
4. Your Mobile Network Provider
5. Yourself
   Any compromise and weakness among these three, your money is at risk.
   Don’t be that WEAKEST LINK…
   Chitimukulu Musungu Bwembya, (Facebook Post). SAFE SOCIAL. Scammer makes you make a decision without thinking e.g. “I wrongly sent money meant for my sick wife”. THINK FIRST!
   Ways of Avoid Mobile Money Scams
   1 Never give your MTN mobile money PIN to anyone; if you are to give it out, it should the person you would trust your money with.
6. Make your PIN harder for people to guess; use varying figures when setting up one instead of a recurring figure.
7. Don’t give your phone to mobile money agents
8. Wait for confirmation of your deposit or any transaction before leaving the agent’s kiosk.
9. Count money in front of agent or in front of the camera when in an ATM.
10. Beware of fraudulent text messages and calls
11. Don’t click on suspicious links in emails
12. Report any suspicion of a fraudulent person/agent or transaction immediately
13. Don’t download suspicious apps
14. Do not open a Facebook account with your mobile money number; it can easily be profiled by fraudsters
15. Use your phone’s built-in password system. If you have a smart phone with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) style password, make sure to create a tricky PIN; 1234 is too easy for a thief to guess. (Source: CBA)
16. Adjust your settings so that your phone locks within seconds after you have stopped using it. (Source: CBA)
17. Never keep your passwords for online banking or your PIN for your debit or credit card on your phone. (Source: CBA)
    If your phone is taken along with your wallet and you have these passwords stored, it will make it easy for the thief to take money out of your account. (Source: CBA)
18. Log out of websites once you are done using them. Again, don’t make it easy for someone looking to defraud you to access your bank account or personal information. (Source: CBA)
19. Use your phone’s app that allows you to locate your lost mobile device and/or delete sensitive information remotely. Or download a reputable one if your phone doesn’t already have this kind of app built in. (Source: CBA) – Credit SAUTITECH
    The Author is a Speaker, Mentor, Educator, Trainer, Professional and Community Leader, IT and Cybersecurity Leader. For comments email: ICTMatters@kingston.co.zm; www.kingston.co.zm