Rethinking Mobile Money Service in Cameroon
Saron Obia, security expert
The proliferation of mobile operating companies in Cameroon has changed the communication landscape, leading subscribers from 2G to 4G. It has equally led to innovative management (services), that of online banking, mobile money transfers or payment, and payment of fees for secondary and higher education. Despite this great innovation in the telecommunication sector, cybercriminals are still ‘gaming’ the system. They continue to engage in phishing, mobile money scam, and the use of SIMBOX to swindle airtime from mobile operating companies.
The focus of this report is an appeal for a rethink of the relationship between customers (subscribers) and different mobile operating companies in Cameroon. As customers are increasingly victimized by cybercriminals, others (customers or subscribers) commit errors when processing financial transactions or payments to different accounts (family members, friends, business clients, and during online shopping) via mobile money.
The need to rethink the policy lines of mobile operating companies in Cameroon is now than ever necessary to provide solutions to the financial issues of customers in Cameroon. When a customer commits an error while dialing a number for financial transfer or payment via mobile money, after effectuating the transfer to a different person (wrong number or individual with mobile wallet or mobile money account), most mobile operating companies in Cameroon never assist the customer when such situation occurs.
Most mobile operating company service agents usually recommend the victim; to negotiate with the individual the money was sent, request for the individual to take part of the money and send the balance, the worst is that the agent tells you they cannot assist in the recovery process.
More so, when the fellow, who effectuated the transaction contacts the person who received the money (the individual which the transfer was not destined), the latter usually accuse the victim; of being a cybercriminal, stalker, or liar, some block the number of the victim (the person that made the transfer), switch off the phone after withdrawal of the money and even threaten the victim.
Mobile operating companies in Cameroon must develop or rethink the mobile money policy lines, in order to provide solutions to the different challenges faced by customers. It is necessary to create a recovery service for victims of mobile money complaints. Most customers have switched network companies because their former company refused to assist them when they encounter such challenges and lost huge sums of money. Remember the customer or subscriber is a pillar for the company.
