'We’ll blacklist Mobile Money fraudsters across all networks' – Communications Minister

The Communications Minister has issued a warning to Electronic Money Issuers (EMIs) and mobile network operators (MNOs). The upcoming central SIM registration system will empower the National Communications Authority (NCA) to blacklist fraudsters across all networks.

Samuel Nartey George spoke on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, April 15. He criticized telcos for ignoring mobile money fraud complaints. He accused them of overlooking obvious fraud patterns.

“That is my problem with the EMIs that we are going to deal with,” he stated. He noted that proven cases often involve similar numbers used repeatedly.

People report these fraudulent numbers to EMIs consistently. However, little action is taken against the syndicates. “Several reports are made to the EMIs,” he said, “but they do not block those numbers.”

This situation is about to change, he assured. The new registration framework will create a centralized system managed by the NCA. This change will significantly improve enforcement efforts.

“The beauty of the registration system we are going to do,” he explained, “is that it will sit with the NCA.” The NCA will have the authority to blacklist numbers across all networks.

This means if a fraudster is blocked on one network, they will be blocked everywhere else too. This practice aims to end network switching used by fraudsters to evade detection.

Additionally, telecom operators who ignore flagged numbers will face heavy fines. “If a report is made and we identify that this number is perpetuating fraud,” he warned, “failure to act will result in daily pecuniary fines.”

This move indicates a tougher government stance as mobile money fraud continues rising despite public education and SIM registration mandates.

The Minister’s comments suggest that the new system will centralize fraud detection and compel network operators to take immediate action or face penalties.

The new framework is expected to launch in the coming months. It will focus on data integrity, real-time reporting, and identity verification linked to the National Identification Authority (NIA).