An ex-convict of the Nsawam prisons has revealed that the popular mobile money fraud in the country was an idea that emerged from the prisons.
In an interview with Kwame Afrifa Mensah on the ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ show, he disclosed that the inmates of the prisons developed the mobile money as a means of survival.
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“The prisons is survival of the fittest. Some people do not want their family to know they are in the prison. For others, their family are aware they are in prison but no one is willing to support them. However that person must survive. In the prisons, we have armed robbers and fraudsters, so, the ideas are there. They link it and use it. If it works, they are lucky. This is what brought about mobile money fraud. Inasmuch as we blame ourselves, we blame the people who fall victim in that scam”, he said.
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When quizzed by host Kwame Afrifa on how they are able to make these calls, he explained: “Prisoners have mobile phones with them. Even some of the officers bring us phones and take money from it. Some prisoners who were businessmen still run their businesses and make money while in prison”.
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He commented that the prisoners use a trial and error method to get their victims. And for those who fall victims, they make huge monies out of them.
Mobile Money is an electronic wallet system that allows for easy and convenient means of transaction. However, this mode of transaction has attracted fraudsters who dupe unsuspecting subscribers of their monies.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah