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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Kampala has warned mobile money operators against the new tricks used by conmen and thugs to obtain their pin codes.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that cases of conmen withdrawing money from agents’ sim cards have become common and cautioned operators to be extra vigilant.
The warning comes after Bweyogerere Police Station on Wednesday arrested another mobile money conman identified as David Kamya alias Tonny Ssozi, and sometimes known as Masavu Senior.
Kamya is a businessman also known for having started Masavu Football Club in Entebbe. In his statement, he confessed that he operates all over Kampala Metropolitan Policing Area particularly along Entebbe Road, Wakiso, Kira and Nansana.
Kamya said he goes to a mobile shop pretending to be sending money but gives out a wrong or none existing number. The agent phone does not send money but shows a message that the number cannot receive money.
Onyango, quoting Kamya’s statement said, he tells a mobile money agent to continue trying as he masters his or her pin code. After that, Kamya tells the agent that he needs to go to the vehicle and pick another number.
Kamya was arrested with 51 mobile phones of various brands that he switched with unsuspecting mobile money operators. He picks a phone that resembles that of the mobile money agent thus giving less room for suspicion.
Police have since established that mobile money tricksters are not poor individuals but people who look responsible and some with visible businesses. For instance, Kamya allegedly owns rentals at Garuga, Stella Najjanankumbi, Kitubulu and Namusera.
He swaps phones and steals agent lines with floats and withdraws it.
At least 20 mobile money operators are said to have fallen victims of such tricksters. Allan Ggayi was arrested two months ago after he tricked several mobile money agents, he withdrew their money and on top disappeared with their phones.
Jolly Nakimera also fell victim in Seeta and she filed a case at police. She allegedly lost more than one million Shillings to conmen who disguised as clients. They mastered her pin code and swiftly withdrew the money.
Ggayi was intercepted driving a brand new car along Mityana Road after Kawempe police sighted his vehicle cross Busega and counterparts in Buloba were alerted. Ggayi had more than five dozens of mobile phones.
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