Zambia Information and Communication Authority ( ZICTA ) has conducted consumer and public awareness on digital frauds in Kawambwa District of Luapula Province.
ZICTA Consumer Protection and Compliance Manager, Edgar Mlauzi says ZICTA, working together with the Bank of Zambia, has embarked on a sensitisation programme following an increase in digital financial crimes being perpetuated by unknown people across the country.
After conducting the exercise yesterday, Mr Mlauzi said ZICTA also undertook an inspection on mobile money agents to check on compliance levels of SIM Card registration.
He noted that non-compliance by some agents from mobile service providers selling pre-registered SIM cards has led to an increase in people getting swindled by fraudsters.
“We are here in Kawambwa with the bank of Zambia to sensitise the residents to stop buying or using already registered SIM cards and encourage them to be reporting mobile money agents selling pre-registered SIM cards to police because it is crime by law,” Mr. Mlauzi said.
Mr Mlauzi also encouraged Kawambwa residents to be dialling *101# to check for the number of SIM cards registered under their national registration card.
The Consumer Protection and Compliance Manager has further urged network service providers in Kawambwa to improve so that it can support other services.
He said the New Dawn government talks about digital transformation saying this can only be realised if the good quality of service is provided to support other services.
“It’s worrisome in terms of network outages across all the three service providers here in Kawambwa. The network is quite bad which has affected business for the mobile money agents in the area,” he observed.
And Bank of Zambia Payment Systems Manager, Maria Katepa has urged the public against disclosing Personal Identification Numbers ( PIN ) codes to other people as it is part of cyber security measures.
Ms Katepa said most people were fond of sending kids who are not aware of the safety measures that need to be taken once they approach the mobile agents to go and withdraw money from the booths.
Earlier Kawambwa District Commissioner, Godfrey Chilambwe complained about poor network service delivery in the district and appealed to ZICTA to intervene.
Speaking when the ZICTA team called on him at his office, Mr Chilambwe said the poor network service in the area was affecting service delivery.
