TCRA raises alarm over Ifakara’s rising fraud cases
IFAKARA: IFAKARA has emerged as a hotspot for attempted fraud, with the town recording 1,781 cases during the quarter ending June this year, prompting the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to step up efforts to combat fraudsters commonly known as “Halo Halo”.
The revelation was made on Monday when TCRA Director General Engineer Peter Mwasalyanda met communications stakeholders, government leaders, councillors, mobile network operators and heads of security and defence organs in Kilombero District to discuss measures to curb fraud and other communication-related crimes.
According to the Communications Sector Status Report for the quarter ending June 2026, the 1,781 attempted fraud incidents reported in Ifakara were the highest recorded in the country during the period.
The meeting also heard concerns over the growing practice of some residents registering mobile phone lines in their names for other people in exchange for small amounts of money.
The practice, stakeholders warned, could expose unsuspecting residents to serious legal consequences when the lines are subsequently used to commit fraud or other crimes.
Eng Mwasalyanda urged residents to stop allowing their identities to be used to register mobile phone lines for other people, warning that the consequences could be far greater than the small financial reward they receive.
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Stakeholders agreed to strengthen cooperation in identifying, reporting and taking action against “Halo Halo” fraudsters, while increasing public awareness on the dangers of allowing mobile phone lines registered in one’s name to be used by others.
Residents were also urged to regularly check the mobile phone lines registered in their names by dialling *106# and to report suspected fraudsters by sending their numbers via SMS to 15040, a free service.
They were further advised to immediately report lost or stolen mobile phones and to be cautious of individuals claiming to be service providers.
TCRA reminded the public that the official customer service number is 100 and advised residents to treat calls from other numbers claiming to offer similar services with caution, as they could be attempts by fraudsters to obtain personal or financial information.
Authorities also called on community members to speak out against the practice of registering mobile phone lines for others and to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in reporting suspected criminal activities.
