By: Aminata Sesay
Parliament on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation to explain the rising wave of mobile money and online scams affecting Sierra Leoneans, with Members of Parliament expressing concern over the increasing use of mobile networks, particularly Orange Sierra Leone, by fraudsters to deceive and defraud unsuspecting citizens.
Opening the session, the Speaker of Parliament said the House was deeply concerned about the growing number of scam-related incidents and questioned why criminals appeared to be using certain networks more frequently to target innocent citizens.
In response, the Minister delivered a detailed statement acknowledging the growing threat of cyber-enabled financial fraud, including WhatsApp account hijacking, online impersonation, fake customer care scams, phishing links and fraudulent mobile money requests.
She explained that while digital transformation has greatly expanded access to communication services, mobile money platforms and online transactions, it has also created opportunities for criminals to exploit unsuspecting users.
“As our digital economy grows, so too do the opportunities for those who seek to exploit it for criminal purposes,” the Minister told Parliament.
She stressed that most scams currently affecting Sierra Leoneans are not necessarily the result of advanced hacking techniques but rather involve social engineering methods designed to manipulate trust and deceive victims.
According to the Minister, fraudsters often trick individuals into sharing WhatsApp verification codes, allowing them to take control of accounts and impersonate victims to request money from friends, relatives and colleagues.
She further highlighted the increasing impersonation of ministers, Members of Parliament, public officials, business leaders and religious figures through fake WhatsApp and social media accounts. These fraudulent accounts are reportedly used to solicit money, advertise fake investment opportunities and offer bogus employment schemes.
The Minister said Government has adopted a three-pronged approach to address the challenge, focusing on public awareness, stronger institutional response mechanisms and improved investigation and prosecution of offenders.
She outlined ongoing initiatives, including nationwide awareness campaigns through radio, television, newspapers, social media, SMS messages and community engagement programmes aimed at educating citizens on how to identify and avoid scams.
She advised Sierra Leoneans not to send money or disclose confidential information based solely on WhatsApp or social media requests without independently verifying the identity of the sender.
The Minister also explained that mobile network operators have established fraud response systems involving customer verification, risk assessment, temporary suspension of suspicious accounts and collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
She noted that recovery of stolen funds is more likely when victims report fraud cases immediately, as delays often allow criminals to withdraw or transfer the money through multiple transactions. “Every minute matters,” she emphasized.
The Minister disclosed that Orange Sierra Leone alone had received about 390 mobile money fraud complaints this year and had responded to more than 18,000 lawful requests from the Sierra Leone Police for subscriber information during criminal investigations.
She clarified that not all requests were related to cyber fraud but said the figures demonstrate the role telecommunications companies play in supporting law enforcement investigations.
She also emphasized the importance of linking SIM cards with National Identification Numbers (NIN), describing the ongoing NIN-SIM registration exercise as a major security measure that will improve the identification and tracking of individuals involved in criminal activities.
Looking ahead, the Minister announced plans to convene a National Cyber Fraud Response Workshop involving the National Communications Authority (NatCA), the National Cybersecurity Coordinating Centre, the Sierra Leone Police, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Bank of Sierra Leone, the Attorney General’s Office, the Transnational Organized Crime Unit and mobile network operators.
The workshop is expected to develop a National Cyber Fraud Response Framework aimed at improving coordination among institutions, standardizing reporting procedures, strengthening digital evidence preservation, enhancing intelligence sharing and introducing risk-based measures to identify suspicious mobile money accounts.
She further announced plans to establish a coordinated national reporting platform where citizens can easily report online scams, fraudulent phone numbers and other cyber threats.
“The objective is to make Sierra Leone a more difficult place in which cybercriminals can operate,” she concluded.
Following the Minister’s statement, the Leader of Government Business proposed that the National Communications Authority (NatCA), as the telecommunications sector regulator, should also appear before Parliament to address concerns raised by Members.
He noted that while mobile network operators have a role to play, regulatory oversight remains the responsibility of NatCA, whose mandate covers the operations of telecommunications companies.
Supporting the motion, the Opposition Leader said the regulator has a responsibility to protect consumers from the increasing threat of mobile money fraud.
“There is hardly any Sierra Leonean who has not been victimized by mobile money fraud,” he said, adding that many citizens now verify financial requests received through WhatsApp by calling the sender directly before making any payment.
He called for stronger enforcement of SIM registration requirements, like systems adopted in other countries, arguing that improved identity verification would help reduce criminal activities.
Responding to concerns from Members of Parliament, the Director General of NatCA, Amara Brewah, assured the House that the regulator was implementing reforms aimed at improving network security and service delivery.
He announced that NatCA will soon begin the progressive barring of SIM cards that are not linked to National Identification Numbers. The process will begin with restrictions on outgoing calls before extending to incoming services, following a nationwide public awareness campaign.
Brewah said discussions are also ongoing with the National Civil Registration Authority to reduce the cost of obtaining National Identification Cards in order to encourage wider compliance with registration requirements.
He explained that NatCA only recently assumed technical regulatory responsibility for mobile money services, while the Bank of Sierra Leone continues to oversee the financial aspects of the sector under a joint regulatory arrangement.
On concerns regarding poor network quality, Brewah said NatCA conducts nationwide quality-of-service assessments and requires operators to address identified shortcomings before regulatory action is taken.
He added that the Authority regularly conducts operations against illegal SIM card vendors and imposes penalties on mobile network operators found allowing unauthorized SIM sales.
Addressing concerns over illegal DStv operations, the NatCA Director General said the Authority has the legal power to arrest offenders but lacks prosecutorial authority, requiring such cases to be referred to the Sierra Leone Police for further action.
He appealed for continued cooperation as NatCA implements reforms aimed at strengthening consumer protection and improving telecommunications services across the country.
Parliament subsequently agreed that the Minister and the regulator should return before the House to provide further responses on the rising challenge of cyber fraud and the effectiveness of existing consumer protection measures.
The Speaker further instructed the relevant parliamentary committee to conduct additional investigations into the matter and recommend appropriate actions, including possible fines and other sanctions where necessary, within one month.