‘Dishonest SIM agents connected to phone swindlers syndicates’

The findings mirror a Morogoro Regional Police operation conducted in Kilombero District on March 5, 2026, in which officers seized 198 SIM cards allegedly linked to fraud.

Of these, 88 were recovered from a single registration agent and had been registered under different names.

Police also arrested 10 suspects accused of operating a fraud syndicate that allegedly stole more than Sh12 million from members of the public, including victims in Mbagala, Dar es Salaam.

The investigation found that fraudsters constantly change their tactics, exploiting fake job offers, rent payment demands, fabricated school emergencies and promises of spiritual healing to deceive victims.

Some scams are locally known as Makeya and Mjomba Mjomba. In one scheme, fraudsters pose as mobile network employees claiming customers are entitled to money or services.

In another, they impersonate government or security officials and demand payments in exchange for fake employment opportunities.

According to the investigation, dishonest agents secretly register additional SIM cards when customers visit to register new lines.

By asking customers to place their fingerprints on biometric scanners more than once, they create extra registrations without the customer’s consent.

The illegally registered SIM cards are later sold to fraudsters, who use them to make scam calls and send deceptive text messages requesting money transfers or personal information.

The investigation found that such SIM cards, once sold for about Sh25,000 each, now fetch between Sh10,000 and Sh15,000 because they have become more readily available on the black market.

Cybersecurity experts say the practice makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify suspects because the SIM cards are registered in the names of innocent people.

A SIM registration agent in Ifakara, who requested anonymity, admitted that some agents deliberately exploit customers during registration.

“A customer may be told that the fingerprint was not captured properly and asked to scan it again. During that process, another SIM card is secretly registered and later sold to fraudsters,” the source said.

The source said the practice is more common in rural areas, where mobile registration teams provide outreach services and customers are less familiar with digital systems.

Residents also allege that some agents maintain close links with fraudsters and warn them whenever police launch operations.

The investigation further found that many fraudsters operate from remote locations, including farms and bushes, using basic mobile phones and randomly generated numbers to contact potential victims.

One resident said scammers send messages or make calls until someone responds, after which they begin manipulating the victim into sending money.

Several victims shared their experiences with Mwananchi.

Emil Yohana, a resident of Morogoro, said he lost Sh25,000 after receiving a fraudulent text message instructing him to transfer money to a different phone number.

“I followed the instructions because the message appeared genuine. I only realised later that I had been scammed,” he said.

Mariam Khamis of Dodoma said her father lost Sh350,000 that had been intended for her university tuition fees after receiving a message claiming her phone number had changed.

According to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Morogoro and Rukwa continue to record the highest number of attempted phone scams. Although attempted fraud has declined in recent years, thousands of cases are still recorded every quarter.

Police statistics show that Tanzania lost more than Sh5 billion to fraud in 2024, with only Sh288.7 million recovered.

Experts warn that, beyond financial losses, phone fraud is eroding public confidence in digital financial services and undermining efforts to build a digital economy.