Airtel warns customers against mobile money fraud

DAR ES SALAAM: AIRTEL Tanzania has cautioned its customers to remain vigilant against rising cases of mobile money fraud, which scammers perpetrate through deceptive messages and calls.

Speaking at the company’s headquarters recently, Airtel Tanzania’s Corporate Communications Director, Ms. Beatrice Singano, warned customers against responding to suspicious messages from unknown numbers requesting money for various purposes, including contributions and alleged spiritual services.

She emphasized that official communication from Airtel Tanzania is conducted exclusively through the customer care number 100 and urged the public to disregard messages or calls from any other numbers posing as company representatives.

“Customers should be cautious of calls or messages from numbers other than 100 pretending to be Airtel representatives. We do not use any other numbers to communicate with our customers,” she stated.

Ms. Singano noted that many Tanzanians fall victim to mobile fraud due to receiving messages from unknown numbers requesting money, often believing they are communicating with someone they know.

She urged customers to always verify requests before making transactions to avoid financial losses.

Furthermore, she advised Airtel customers to keep their four-digit PIN confidential and never share it with anyone, even those they trust, as fraudsters could misuse it to access accounts and make unauthorized transactions.

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“The PIN is strictly confidential and should only be known by the account holder. Sharing it with anyone, even those close to you, increases the risk of unauthorized access,” she cautioned.

Airtel Tanzania reaffirmed its commitment to protecting customers and encouraged them to remain informed, report suspicious activities, and safeguard their mobile money accounts.

Ms. Singano advised customers to take immediate action in case of phone theft by reporting the incident to the police and forwarding suspicious numbers to 15040.

Additionally, she urged customers to verify numbers registered under their NIDA Identification Number by dialing *106# to prevent unauthorized usage.

“These measures help customers detect and block fraudulent activities linked to their identity, ensuring enhanced security,” she added.

Airtel Tanzania continues to implement awareness initiatives to curb fraud and protect customers from financial losses.