Features
Stealing from my Momo wallet
I have always prided myself as a smart Alec. I have tried to be ahead of evildoers, scammers and other fraudsters. As a result, I have never used an ATM card for bank transactions. Not that I ever had so much to be afraid of losing. There is an Ewe proverb which translates to mean that even if you don’t have anything of value, you still have to lock your door.
I got my first MTN Sim Card in 2002 after having used a tiGO one when that company started as Mobitel. The number began with 0244 because that was what the NCA had granted the company at the time it began operations. I still have that number which I registered a money transfer regime with, after pressure from people who would want to transact money transfer business with me.
Then about six years ago, I visited a cousin who was a Medical Officer in Cape Coast to spend a couple of days. On the morning of the second day an SMS pop-up showed on the screen of my phone from a strange number purporting to have credited my MoMo account with over a thousand cedis. What intrigued me was that the balance as indicated from this “transfer” actually showed that if I subtracted the purported addition I would still be left with the amount already in the account.
Suddenly a call came through from someone claiming to have inadvertently credited my account with a thousand that was meant for someone else and that I should go through a certain process to revert the money to him. He claimed he was calling from Winneba. I told him that because it came from a certain number I was only going to resend his text to him so he could have his money. I did not understand the method he wanted to show me and I told him I was not conversant with what he wanted me to do. I told him I was going to Pedu to get it transferred back to him and he agreed.
I quickly drove to Pedu, told a vendor that cash was accidentally dropped into my account and that he should reverse the transaction for me. He took my word and started the process, then realised that the amount in my wallet was not up to a thousand so he could not continue. I did not understand until he scrutinised what was on my phone. “Money transfers don’t come as text message from numbers, Sir. They come with Mobile Money,” he quipped and said it was a scam. The bloke at Winneba called to check if I had done the transfer. Before I could say he was a fool, he hung up.
Before the end of that day I had eight calls from people claiming to be at Kasoa and had moved various sums into my MoMo wallet and asking me to check my account balance in case there was no notification on the screen of my phone. I wondered why my number was a target. How did they get my phone number in the first place? When I tried to find out, I was told these scammers dial numbers randomly, but it turned out that their main targets were numbers beginning with 0244 because that was the initial prefix from MTN so the users were likely to be the elderly who were not technology savvy to suspect they could be victims of a scam.
Their modus operandi has changed over the years. The moment a substantial amount of money hits my phone, a message would pop up asking me to enter my PIN code to complete a “Cash Out” transaction. The latest was just a couple of days ago and the destination was to GCB Bank. I called a friend at one of the branches of the bank just to ask a few questions. The bank was likely to be a victim as well.
I have spoken to the numerous friends who work at MTN. Their response was that under no circumstance should I ever enter my PIN code if I did not authorise any transaction because the fraudsters cannot do that on my behalf. But these scammers never let up. They would call and if they realised that you detected they were fraudsters, another person would call, claiming to be a staff of MTN, to inform you that the previous caller was a fraudster and that you must follow certain steps to protect your account being scammed. In my case, this particular scenario only plays out when I am driving. And it has happened more than 20 times in just a couple of months.
Only last week, I chanced upon a young man who is a mobile money vendor. I poured out my encounters with these scammers and wondered how they could detect a cash lodgement into my account because the latest one requested my PIN code for the transfer of an odd 1,472 cedis. How did the scammer ask for the transfer of that amount? The young man told me these fraudsters have accomplices in the Telcos, in my case, the MTN. The accomplices follow all transactions of clients and relay the information to the scammers and when people fall victim, the proceeds are shared among them.
According to this guy, the scammers are mostly semi-literate or school dropouts who do not have the technological capacity to run the system of the Telcos to follow people’s financial transactions, unless there is someone from the inside. I believed him because the English these scammers speak makes me wonder if the Telcos conduct proper interviews if these blokes were really their staff. Videos abound on social media on the activities of these fraudsters, yet their activities continue unabated.
I am on tiGO-Cash and V-Cash as well, but I have had not a single issue with scammers on their platforms. It’s only MTN. They might be the market leader so they easily attract the hoodlums, but do they have any system in place to monitor the conversations between their staff in the sensitive money area with their clients or partners in crime? If, indeed, there are moles in the Telcos there must be a way to flush them out.
The mobile money is great service for the ordinary folks like me and my relatives in the countryside and everything must be done to protect us from societal deviants and criminals.
If the activities of these criminals were not lucrative they would have folded up by now. Customers need to be protected because not all of us understand what these transactions on these devices entail. The regulators must find a way to ensure that clients of these mobile money regimes are protected. They should not only concern themselves with revenue they get from the operators. They should not allow stealing from our MoMo wallet.
Writer’s e-mail address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr. Akofa Segbefia
Having initiated programs to ensure a foundation of morality, the next step is to have a picture of what success looks like. I keep saying that if you do not have a destination in mind when travelling, you can never arrive.
We therefore as a people, need to set up a development plan which all parties shall ascribe to so that no matter which party is in government, the execution of the plan will not be derailed.
This is the only way that we can make a headway in our developmental agenda. Once we have a plan we are following, it becomes a guiding tool to arrive at the destination we have set for ourselves. It becomes a project that given the necessary key milestones, will help us in monitoring progress.
The next step is to focus on pillars of development i.e. education, health, agriculture and the economy.
The common characteristic of developed countries is the level of education of its citizens.
A highly educated population provides readily available human resource for industrial growth.
A highly qualified population has the potential to innovate, creating value added products for export.
A healthy population is necessary for development. Proactive measures that can prevent epidemics for instance, must be put in place to ensure a healthy populace.
This would require a deliberate investment in health infrastructure as well as training of professionals in the health sector.
Food must be available and must also be affordable and there policies that can ensure the achievement of this objective must be vigorously pursued.
Agro-processing must be prioritised if not completely eliminate post harvest losses and also provide goods for export as part of the effort to stabilize currency.
The power of a nation depends largely on its economic growth. The reason why countries like the US and China wield a lot of influence in the world is because of their wealth.
The way out of poverty as a country, is to industrialise. We need to focus on deliberate effort to promote indigenous control over our natural resources so as to reduce repatriation of huge foreign currency out of the country.
Such initiatives will provide or make available funds for entrepreneurs to access for industrialisation. If we do not prioritise industrialisation, we will permanently not enjoy real independence as a nation because we will have to depend on them to assist in funds for our budget deficit.
Whoever controls how you run your budget literary controls you and therefore the countries who provide budgetary support, controls us. We need to get out of this situation so we can be truly.
The industrialisation cannot be established without companying infrastructure and therefore infrastructure development must be taken seriously into account.
Local expertise must be sought in the infrastructural development. The use of local expertise will help create jobs for the teeming youth the universities churn out every year.
I hope to complete this series next weekend. God bless.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
AS the world becomes increasingly complex, the role of a president has become more demanding than ever.
The pressure to make life-altering decisions, manage crises, and maintain a sense of calm and composure can take a toll on a president’s mental health.
In recent years, innovative approaches like emotional surgery and emotional elysium have gained attention for their potential to support leaders in managing stress and promoting emotional well-being.
Understanding emotional surgery
Emotional surgery is a groundbreaking approach that utilises art to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
This technique involves the use of colors, geometric shapes, and abstract objects to communicate with the brain and induce a state of calmness.
By leveraging the brain’s ability to process visual information, emotional surgery can help individuals manage anxiety and stress, promoting a sense of calmness and well-being.
The benefits of emotional elysium
Emotional elysium refers to practices that promote emotional well-being and resilience.
This approach focuses on cultivating positive emotions such as gratitude, compassion, and love, to improve overall well-being.
For presidents, emotional elysium can be particularly beneficial in managing the stresses of office and promoting emotional balance.
By incorporating emotional elysium practices into their daily routine, presidents can improve their emotional regulation, increase their resilience, and enhance their overall well-being.
The impact on presidential performance
Both emotional surgery and emotional elysium have the potential to significantly impact a president’s performance.
By managing stress and promoting emotional well-being, presidents can:
- Improve decision-making: Emotional surgery and emotional elysium help presidents make more informed, rational decisions, rather than reacting impulsively to stress or emotions.
- Enhance leadership: Leaders who prioritise emotional well-being are better equipped to build strong relationships with their team and the public.
- Increase resilience: Emotional elysium practices, such as mindfulness and meditation, build resilience, enabling presidents to cope better with challenges and setbacks.
Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa’s endorsement
Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa, a respected figure in the medical field, has endorsed emotional surgery as a valuable tool for promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
According to him, emotional surgery can reduce anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and enhance overall well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, emotional surgery and emotional elysium are two innovative approaches that have the potential to significantly impact a president’s performance.
By prioritising emotional well-being and exploring these approaches, presidents can improve decision-making, enhance leadership, and increase resilience.
As global challenges become more complex, it is essential for presidents to safeguard their mental health — and these techniques offer a promising solution.
Recommendations
- Presidents should prioritise their emotional well-being: Recognising the importance of emotional balance allows leaders to manage stress effectively.
- Emotional surgery and emotional elysium should be considered: These approaches may offer promising solutions for high-end executives whose emotional well-being affects their performance.
By embracing emotional well-being and exploring innovative interventions, presidents can optimise performance, build stronger relationships, and promote overall well-being.
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
