Stakeholders undergoing the capacity training programme. INSET: MTN. EOCO officials in a group photograph
MTN Mobile Money Limited in collaboration with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has begun its capacity-building training programme aimed at equipping stakeholders with the requisite skills and knowledge on how to combat mobile money fraud activities.
The capacity training workshop was organized following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on July 25, 2023, between MTN Ghana and EOCO to facilitate training and capacity building for staff of EOCO and other stakeholders on current trends and cutting-edge technology in Mobile Money so as to stay ahead in the fight against economic and organised crime.
Addressing journalists on the second day of the three-day workshop, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Mobile Money Limited /MTN, Paapa Osei, stated that the training of stakeholders was born out of the unwavering commitment of MTN and EOCO in creating a secured digital ecosystem where businesses thrive without any interruptions.
Mr. Osei further noted that the capacity-building training programme will be extended to other regions, adding, “Customers have been advised to abide by the three golden rules; do not share your pin, do not discuss information that has to do with your mobile money account with people and thirdly we will always call you with our official number. Any other number should be ignored. This is to enable customers to take matters into their own hands and we also ensure our network is safe.
A member of the Legal Team, EOCO, Victoria Asamoah, on her part indicated that as part of the requirement stated in the MoU, MTN’s capacity training programme will help investigators understand the terrain in which these fraudsters work.
“Before the coming into force of the MoU we have been working with MTN and we have investigated some cases involving fraud where people were put before the court.
With this training, it will better equip us more to be able to know how these people operate and the kind of sophisticated gadgets they use in committing these crimes”, she added.
Lead Financial Crimes, Cyber Security and Anti-money Laundering Specialist, e-Crime Bureau GH, Eric Kwaku Mensah, commended the partnership between the two institutions, and appealed to other institutions to emulate such initiatives to enhance business transactions in the digital ecosystem.
Addressing issues on the increase in fraud-related crimes, Kwaku Mensah indicated that there has been an increase in trends where fraudsters leveled on other third parties E-commerce platforms to cash out using mobile money, adding, “the capacity training given to the selected personnel from various institutions when utilized will deter crime”.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke