Mobile Money fraudsters will now have their numbers and device blocked across all networks.
This is a collective decision taken by the network operators to help address this menace, which has the potential to erode confidence in the mobile money space.
The action took effect some two months ago.
Disclosing this at a media engagement, Chief Executive of MTN Ghana, Selorm Adadevoh, said the development calls for some tougher actions by the operators.
“So we’ve come together as a Chamber [Chamber of Telecommunications] to say, how we intensify or increase the barriers to fraud and blocking the device across all networks is for us, one step. This is one activity that we currently focused on and we’ve implemented through the Chamber and so you’ll be blocked across all the networks,” he said.
“This has taken effect already, it’s been in effect for about two months,” he added.
MTN implemented ‘No Identification, No MoMo’ policy in April 2021
MTN Ghana on 2nd April 2021 began the implementation of the ‘No Identification, No MoMo’ policy. This meant all mobile money customers would have to present a valid ID card that matches the name on the mobile money account before they can make cash out transactions.
The move was intended to reduce mobile money fraud transactions significantly.
About 150,000 mobile money agents across the country were provided with the necessary education, training and devices to effectively implement the system. The agents were provided with devices to be able to do picture verification of the customer before the cash out are done.