Lesson 1Three repeating patterns
Mobile Money fraud in Ghana tends to follow a small number of repeating patterns — and once you know them, they become much easier to spot in the moment, even when they're designed to create panic.
- The “wrong number” scam: someone claims they sent Mobile Money to your number by mistake and asks you to send it back — except no money actually arrived. They're hoping you won't check your transaction history first.
- The fake agent scam: someone claiming to be from your network's Mobile Money service says there's “an issue with your SIM” and asks for your PIN or a code sent to your phone. A real provider never needs your PIN.
- The prize/refund scam: a message says you've won money or are owed a refund, and asks for a small “processing fee” first — a fee you pay, followed by nothing ever arriving.
Real-life example
Efua got a call from “her network provider” saying suspicious activity was detected, and she needed to confirm her identity by reading out a code that would arrive shortly. She hung up — and moments later a real Mobile Money PIN reset code arrived. The caller was trying to reset her PIN using a code sent to her own phone, disguised as a security check.