A Ghanaian woman has issued a strong warning to the public about a new and sophisticated Mobile Money (MoMo) scam that cost her sister all her savings.
In a video sighted by Ghbase News, she detailed how fraudsters are now posing as delivery agents under the guise of a surprise food package to trick unsuspecting victims.
“They call you and tell you someone who loves you has sent you pizza,” she explained. “They’ll say the sender wants to remain anonymous and all they need is to confirm your identity by sending you a short code.”
The woman stressed that once the victim receives the code and sends it back, the scammers instantly gain access to their mobile money wallet.
“Immediately you send the code, they drain your MoMo. If your bank account is linked to it, they clear that too,” she said, visibly upset.
Her sister, who fell for the trick, lost every cedi in both her mobile wallet and linked bank account. The woman shared the experience publicly to warn others.
“Please, if anyone calls you with such stories about surprise deliveries, don’t believe them. Don’t give out any code they send to your phone. That’s how they enter your account,” she cautioned.
Other common MoMo scam tactics Ghbase News wants you to know about;
Mobile Money scams are on the rise in Ghana, and fraudsters are constantly inventing new tactics to exploit users. In addition to the “surprise delivery” trick, here are other common fraud schemes to watch out for:
1. Wrong transfer call
Fraudsters often send a fake SMS indicating a large sum of money has been mistakenly transferred to your MoMo wallet. Moments later, they call pretending to be panicked and plead with you to send the money back. Many victims, feeling guilty, comply—only to find out no money was ever sent.
2. Fake promotion alerts
Scammers claim to be from a mobile network operator and inform you that you’ve won a prize in a promo. They then ask you to send a registration fee, or dial a code which ends up giving them access to your wallet.
3. Fake agent numbers
Some fraudsters pretend to be mobile money agents and post false numbers online or on posters. When you attempt to send money through them, they redirect the funds to a different number and vanish.
4. Phishing links via SMS or WhatsApp
These messages ask users to click on links to verify their account or claim a reward. Clicking such links may give the scammers access to personal information or install malware that steals login credentials.
5. SIM swap fraud
Scammers use stolen identity information to convince network providers to issue them a replacement SIM card. Once they have access, they take over your mobile wallet, email, and even social media accounts.
The Ghana Police Service and mobile networks have consistently warned against sharing one-time passcodes (OTPs), PINs, or personal information with unknown callers or anyone posing as a company representative.
