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Kinyarwanda
Police in Kicukiro District has recovered Rwf491, 000 which is part of the money stolen in Mobile Money fraud.
The money was recovered Friday from two men; Innocent Maniriho, 31, and Francois Akimana, 25, who had scammed one Isaac Tuyizere of Rwf500, 000.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie-Gorrette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson of Central Region, said that the duo was using different tricks to know the status of telecom banking users and to acquire their PIN numbers to defraud them.
"In this specific case, they called Tuyizere guising as employees of the telecom service provider conducting usual checks and updates," CIP Umutesi said.
She added: "They instructed him the steps to follow until they managed to know the status of his account and PIN number, and were successfully able to withdraw the money.”
The victim, however, received a message indicating that the money had been withdrawn from his mobile account, which prompted him to immediately seek help from the service provider.
"Tuyizere got to know the agent in Gikondo where the money was withdrawn, who helped him to know the identities of the scammers; he informed law enforcement organs, Maniriho and Akimana were tracked in Kigarama where they were arrested shortly after with the money," CIP Umutesi narrated.
She advised the general public to protect their PIN codes or passwords.
"This is individual information which should be jealously protected and not shared with anyone," she said, urging telecom banking agents to "always be vigilant and ensure they give services to the right individuals."
Fraud, deception, obtaining another person’s property by use of false names or qualifications, is punishable with an imprisonment term of two to three years and a fine of between Rwf3 million and Rwf5 million, as stipulated under article 174 of the penal code.
