MTN Denies Staff Involvement in MoMo Fraud, Urges Public to Report Scammers

MTN Ghana has pushed back against allegations that its employees or agents are facilitating mobile money fraud, insisting it has found no evidence linking staff to the criminal activity and urging customers to report suspected fraudsters to authorities.

David Boadi, MTN’s General Manager for Southern Ghana, addressed the claims at a media and stakeholder engagement held at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho. He was responding to concerns that some MTN agents or current and former employees have been providing criminals with access to customer contact information .

“We don’t have proof that MTN staff are involved in the fraudulent activities,” Boadi told journalists. “And if anybody, whether MTN staff or not, gets involved in that activity, it is a criminal activity and the law will take its course” .

Social Engineering, Not Inside Jobs

Boadi said the overwhelming majority of reported MoMo fraud cases involve social engineering—where fraudsters manipulate unsuspecting customers into disclosing their personal information, passwords, or mobile money PINs—rather than complicity by MTN personnel .

The MTN executive emphasized that customer education remains central to the company’s anti-fraud strategy, urging subscribers to remain vigilant and never share confidential information with unknown persons. He encouraged the public to report suspicious phone numbers to MTN or security agencies, noting that reported numbers can be flagged to prevent perpetrators from targeting other subscribers .

AI Deployment and Platform Security

Boadi disclosed that MTN has deployed artificial intelligence technology to strengthen fraud prevention, enabling the company to identify and flag calls and messages from numbers reported for fraudulent activity .

The company says it has invested significantly in securing its digital platforms and protecting customer data, positioning security and customer education as essential to sustaining public confidence as mobile money usage continues to expand .

MoMo Growth Amid Rising Fraud Concerns

The fraud discussion comes as MTN’s mobile money business continues to grow rapidly. Boadi noted that MoMo transaction value increased by 44.4 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, while active users grew by 3.1 percent. Transaction volumes and MoMo revenue each rose by 23.3 percent over the same period .

That growth has made MoMo a larger target for criminals. Common schemes in Ghana include fake “wrong transfer” calls asking victims to reverse a deposit that never arrived, callers impersonating provider staff who walk victims through keypad steps that actually approve a transfer, and SIM-swap attacks . In March, actress Joselyn Dumas publicly recounted how a fraudster posing as a DStv representative drained her MoMo wallet and even took out a loan in her name .

Reporting Channels

MTN maintains a 419 fraud helpline for customers to report suspected scams . More broadly, Ghanaian authorities direct MoMo fraud victims to contact their mobile money provider immediately, then report to the Cyber Security Authority via the short code 292, WhatsApp at 0501603111, or the CSA’s online portal. The Ghana Police Service’s Cyber Crime Unit handles criminal complaints .

Boadi also used the Ho engagement to announce that MTN plans to introduce 5G services in Ghana from 2027 following the acquisition of the necessary licence, and that the company is expanding self-service options through the MyMTN App—including SIM swaps and MoMo PIN resets—to reduce the need for customers to visit service centres .

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Reporter’s note: MTN maintains that no evidence links its staff to MoMo fraud. Customers who suspect fraud should report to MTN and the relevant authorities promptly, as early intervention improves the chances of flagging fraudulent numbers and potentially recovering funds.