Prime News Ghana

All SIM cards to be re-registered from November

By Justice Kofi Bimpeh
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Government has directed for the re-registration of all SIM cards and mobile money accounts as part of moves to fight mobile money fraud in the country.

According to the directive, from November 2017 all SIM cards and mobile money accounts will have to be re-registered. 

Mobile fraud has been on the rise over the past few month, an internal inquiry by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service (CID) has revealed that some staff of telecommunication companies are complicit in the rise of the illegal act.

According to the CID, five out of ten customers have also been targeted for mobile money fraud. This notwithstanding, the Department has also complained of little cooperation on the part of the telcos in bringing the perpetrators to book.

But the General Manager for Mobile Money Financial Services at MTN Ghana Eli Hini said the partnership between them and the Police is unquestionable.

He said they took the first step to educate and build capacity for the Police Service so they will be able to understand the modus operandi of these fraudsters so that they can also support the Telcos in the fight against fraud.

"So for them to say that we are not cooperating is not the right picture."

Head of IT at the National Identification Authority(NIA), Matilda Wilson, expressed optimism that the re-registration of mobile money accounts will help curb fraud in the industry.

“It is necessary that the National Identification Authority sees to it that there is re-registration so that all accounts can be verified from NIA."

Read MTN refutes report on staff involvement in mobile money fraud

Matilda Wilson said so after they certify you from the offices at NIA, then you go back to register as a mobile money user.

He added the telcos now have a verified record of people sitting on their database so they can use that data to move on with their businesses.

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