90% of scams linked to prisons

Prisoners are behind up to 90 percent of reported mobile money scams in Malawi, according to the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).

Zomba Maximum Security Prison has emerged as a major source of the scams, with fraudsters allegedly using mobile phones to trick unsuspecting Malawians into sending money.

MACRA says fraudsters are using tactics including identity theft, fake promotions, SIM swaps, SMS fraud and impersonation to steal money and personal information.

One common scam involves fraudsters calling random phone numbers and claiming that the victim has a parcel or property stuck at the border.

The victim is then asked to send money as a supposed clearance fee before the parcel or property can be released.

Fraudsters are also targeting WhatsApp accounts, taking control of them and using the accounts to contact friends and relatives of the victims.

They then impersonate the account owners and ask their contacts to send money, often creating a sense of urgency to prevent the request from being verified.

The revelations have raised questions over how inmates are accessing mobile phones and telecommunications networks from inside correctional facilities.

They have also put pressure on authorities, mobile network operators and law-enforcement agencies to strengthen measures aimed at disrupting mobile money fraud networks.

The challenge comes as mobile money has become a key part of daily life in Malawi, leaving users vulnerable to scams that exploit trust, urgency and access to personal information.