Airtel Rwanda has teamed up with key stakeholders, including MTN, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Rwanda National Police (RNP), Rwanda Regulatory Authority (RURA), and the Central Bank of Rwanda, to launch a nationwide campaign aimed at combating the rising trend of mobile money fraud.
The campaign, dubbed “Bime Amatwi”, seeks to educate the public on how to protect themselves from scams targeting mobile money users.
John Magara Gahakwa, Airtel Rwanda’s marketing officer, explained that the campaign is designed to tackle the human element of fraud.
“Our systems and platforms are extremely secure at world-class standards, continuously monitored and upgraded. The main vulnerability is people themselves—those who receive calls from fraudsters pretending to be officials from banks or telecom operators,” he said in an interview with The New Times.
The “Bime Amatwi” message—literally meaning “close your ears”—encourages mobile money users to deny scammers any audience.
Fraudsters often use social engineering tactics, such as claiming to have sent money, threatening to block users’ numbers, or asking recipients to dial codes that ultimately transfer funds to the scammer.
Gahakwa highlighted key red flags for users:
- Caller verification: If someone claims to be from Airtel or MTN, check the number they are using. “If they work for MTN, why are they calling from an Airtel number? If they are from Airtel, why are they calling from an MTN number?” he said.
- Never share your PIN: “Your mobile money wallet is protected by a PIN you set yourself. Sharing it opens the door to fraud.”
- SIM card management: Rwandan law allows a maximum of three SIM cards per mobile operator per individual. Users are advised to verify their registered SIM cards and deactivate unused ones.
The campaign also emphasizes vigilance when receiving unsolicited offers. “Do not engage with people you don’t know. If a call or message seems suspicious, ignore it and report it to Airtel, MTN, the police, RIB, or RURA,” Gahakwa added.
Airtel and its partners note that fraud is an evolving threat. “Scammers continuously invent new stories and methods. The only way to protect yourself is through awareness and caution,” Gahakwa said.
The Bime Amatwi campaign combines public education, SMS alerts, and social media engagement to empower Rwandans to safeguard their mobile money accounts.
It reinforces the message that while technology is secure, the human factor remains critical.
