By Delisa Thwala
The internet was a hive of activity on Tuesday and the better part of Wednesday when a fake message supposedly purported by Eswatini Mobile made rounds.
The telecommunications company has since come out to denounce the message and further warn their valued customers of the ongoing scam.
“Dear Customer, we are aware of the technical issue that occurred earlier and we discovered that you used E2567 of our airtime, by so we are going to Link your Personal ID number with any of your Bank account so that we recover the outstanding amount which is E2567 or Please load airtime to repay your loan.
Thank you, Valued Customer,’’ read the viral message.
Worth noting is that, this message circulated after a number of customers received airtime from Eswatini Mobile.
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This occurred at various parts of the country when people were loading and topping up airtime.
When addressing the fraudulent message Eswatini Mobile acknowledged that they have been alerted to the scam.
“We have been alerted to a fraudulent message circulating on social media. This message falsely claims that customers need to pay back used airtime or risk having their personal IDs linked to their bank accounts for debt recovery,’’ read the message on their various social media platforms.
They further asked customers to disregard the said message. As it did not originate from Eswatini Mobile.
“We urge our valued customers to remain vigilant and avoid sharing personal information with unknown sources,’’ read the statement in part.
Worth mentioning is that this fraudulent act comes at a time when the police are hot on the heels of scammers in the country.
Police believe that there is a kingpin behind the ‘Facata’ scams, orchestrating the entire operation, and have vowed to track them down.
‘Facata’ is a pseudo name for cyber security crime that involves the use of cellophanes. This was disclosed by Badelisa Magagula, a Cyber Security Specialist from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), who was speaking at the MTN headquarters in Ezulwini.
The telecommunications company hosted the media to provide updates on the ongoing investigations into the ‘Facata’ scams in the country, and also to send further warnings on how customers can protect themselves.
It is also worth mentioning that the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, Vusi Masango, issued a stern warning to ‘Facata’ scammers, stating that the law will take its course.
The NATCOM made these remarks during the launch of the 2024 Fraud Awareness Week at Royal Villas last week.
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Additionally, during a police prayer service, the NATCOM urged the scammers to surrender, as their escape routes were becoming increasingly limited.
The ‘Facata’ scam, a sophisticated form of fraud, involves deceiving individuals into believing they have received funds, often via Mobile Money transfer platforms.
Victims are then pressured into releasing goods or services or return the supposed funds. Law enforcement agencies have made significant strides in combating this crime.
