The viral exchange raised awareness and also reminded Ghanaians of the growing risk of Momo fraud, and how to approach it
Don’t miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN’s Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
A mobile money fraudster has gone viral for his dramatic exchange with a woman who refused to fall for his tricks.
In a trending video, the scammer grew increasingly angry after his potential victim refused to “mention the code” he needed to access her money.
The woman, having noticed from the start that the caller was a fraudster, decided to play along, pretending to be naïve while deliberately wasting his time.
The frustrated scammer kept urging her to read out the supposed MTN message, shouting;
“Madam, read the number! Why are you doing that?”
His tone turned desperate as he demanded she reveal her details, but she calmly ignored him until he eventually lost his temper.
Realising he had been exposed, the man resorted to insults, ending the call in defeat.
The video has since gone viral, sparking laughter and strong lessons across social media about the tactics of scammers.
Many have taken the incident as a warning not to share personal details with unknown callers claiming to be from MTN.
Reactions online have ranged from amusement to alarm as users shared their thoughts:
“The small airtime the fraudster get, the woman use all…🤣🤣🤣😭”
The Bank of Ghana’s 2023 Financial Stability Review revealed that 13,451 people had fallen victim to financial fraud, with mobile money fraud alone accounting for over 2,700 cases that year.
Mobile money fraud has long plagued Ghana’s fintech space, eroding public trust and causing major financial losses.
In May 2025, Mobile Money Limited intensified its efforts, blocking more than 400,000 scam SMS messages daily.
According to Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Godwin Tamakloe, the company’s new system automatically detects and blocks suspicious messages before they reach customers.
“The system can block over 400,000 SMSs in a day that would have reached customers for them to now call up and defraud,” he said on Channel One TV.
In October 2025, MTN Ghana announced plans to deploy blockchain technology to strengthen fraud prevention.
The move aims to enhance transparency and make every transaction traceable from origin to destination.
“Every transaction can be traced,” MTN said.
“When fraud occurs, tracing it in real time can be difficult. Blockchain will change that by allowing full traceability, even down to the agent level.”
The Ghana Cyber Security Authority has joined the fight against mobile money (MoMo) fraud.
Below are key guidelines compiled to help you avoid becoming a victim of MoMo fraud.
1. Never give your mobile money PIN to anyone:
Never share your Personal Identification Number (PIN) or any secret code with anyone, not even mobile money agents, telecom workers, or friends.
Mobile money agents and telecom staff are not allowed to ask for your PIN to perform transactions on your behalf. Remember: your PIN is your personal secret.
2. Make your PIN hard to guess:
Create a PIN that is difficult for others to figure out. Avoid using easy combinations such as your birth year, birthday, repetitive numbers (e.g., 1111, 2222), or simple patterns like 1234 or 2018.
Choose a PIN that is unique yet easy for you to remember. If you suspect your current PIN is weak, change it immediately.
3. Don’t give your phone to mobile money agents:
Never hand over your phone to an agent to perform a transaction for you. Doing so exposes you to potential fraud, as the agent may access sensitive information on your device.
4. Wait for confirmation:
After depositing at any MoMo merchant shop, always wait to receive a confirmation message before leaving.
Ensure that the text message is sent by your telecom provider, not from a suspicious number. Verify transaction details before withdrawing or transferring money.
5. Beware of fraudulent text messages and calls:
Be cautious of suspicious text messages or phone calls concerning your MoMo account. Do not follow any instructions from unknown numbers asking for your details or money transfers.
Ignore calls claiming you’ve won a prize or requesting your account information. When in doubt, contact your telecom provider’s official customer care for assistance.
YEN.com.gh earlier published a report of a Ghanaian man who earned praise after returning GH¢9,800 mistakenly sent by a mobile money vendor.
According to his post on X, the woman tearfully called to admit her mistake, fearing she would lose her job.
The young man, moved by her distress, calmed her down and reversed the transaction immediately.
