Vodacom Tanzania calls for immediate reporting of online fraud to catch scammers

Dar es Salaam. Vodacom Tanzania has urged its customers to report online fraud incidents promptly, stating that they work closely with the Police Force to track down scammers and have successfully apprehended fraudsters in numerous cases.

Speaking yesterday in Dar es Salaam, a Fraud Analyst Forensics at Vodacom Tanzania, Rona Katuma, stressed that when customers report fraud promptly, the company works closely with the Police to investigate and take swift action.

“Once customers report fraud, we trace the phone number or email used in the scam, identify the perpetrator, and take legal action,” Katuma said.

She went on to say that the company places a strong emphasis on raising awareness about various online fraud tactics, particularly ‘social engineering’ techniques used to deceive users.

“Scammers often convince users that they need to perform an upgrade on their devices. They persuade victims to transfer their SIM card to their phone, allowing them to access sensitive information,” he said.

In addition, Katuma mentioned other common tactics used by scammers, such as convincing people to ‘like’ videos on social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube in exchange for small payments.

“They might initially pay a small amount as bait, but once the victim is encouraged to send more money, the scammers block them and steal the funds,” she explained.

For his part, an Assistant Inspector of the Tanzania Police Force, Waziri Makang’ila said that the collaboration between Vodacom and the Police has led to successful outcomes in many cases.

“We encourage the public to report suspected fraud immediately. Vodacom plays a crucial role by providing quick reports, helping us investigate and take action against the scammers,” he stated.

He also discussed how scammers exploit online advertisements to steal personal information.

“When people click on these ads, which appear harmless, scammers often collect personal details without the user’s knowledge and use them for their benefit,” Makang’ila said.

Makang’ila further highlighted the rise of ‘romance scams,’ where fraudsters deceive individuals through dating apps.

“Scammers convince people to install dating apps under the pretense of meeting potential partners, but they use this opportunity to steal money from them,” he said.

He noted that this type of fraud has become more common due to low awareness among the public.