SWAZILAND - Mobile Money warning

Non-registered mobile money users will have to hastily register for this service as MTN wants to freeze accounts of non-registered users.

This will be effective from the beginning of next month. 

Currently, MTN customers have the privilege of sending money, through mobile money, to non-registered customers. 

However, this will change from December 1.

The main reason for doing this, according to the company, is to comply with the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011. The Act requires that all subscribers using this facility to send and receive their money should be registered in accordance with the Know Your Customer (KYC) policy.

Customers wishing to use mobile money are advised to register for the facility. They should bring with them copies of their national identity documents to their nearest MTN mobile money agent. 

Non-registered mobile money users with pending vouchers would be contacted directly so that they can be helped in withdrawing their cash.

MTN Corporate Affairs Manager Mandla Luphondvo encouraged all customers to register for the mobile money facility. 

He said as MTN, they did not expect any congestion that could result from people rushing to register for mobile money. 

“Our customers have an opportunity to register for Mobile Money throughout the year. We are, at this point, not anticipating congestion when it comes to Mobile Money registration for potential customers who have not been on this platform. We have more than enough Mobile Money agents to facilitate new registrations,” Luphondvo said.

The corporate affairs manager said they were basically advising, through the ongoing newspaper adverts, the customers who had tokens which have not been cashed, to cash them by the close of this month. 

This applies to those who are not registered in the mobile money platform, but have been receiving money from mobile money users or subscribers. In terms of numbers, Luphondvo said these customers were less than one per cent.

He encouraged those who were not registered on mobile money to do so and enjoy the convenience, security that comes with transacting on the platform. 

To register, Luphondvo advised that customers needed to have a national identification card a mobile phone. 

He said going forward one will need to produce proof of residence as part of their commitment to comply with the Know Your Customer Policy.

SOURCE:SWAZI OBSERVER