• MTN Ghana launches crackdown on mobile money agent fraud

• Audits trigger warnings, suspensions, or removals for violations

• Move follows rapid growth and rising fraud cases in sector

MTN Ghana’s mobile money subsidiary has launched a compliance crackdown on its agent network, as part of efforts to curb fraud risks in a fast-growing sector.

Mobile Money Fintech said the initiative aims to protect customers and maintain trust, as agents have at times been linked to fraudulent practices.

The company announced the measure in a statement cited by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday, April 16. It said the initiative includes routine audits of the MoMo agent platform, which have already led to temporary restrictions on some accounts.

Not all violations are treated equally. Agents found responsible for minor infractions receive warnings, while more serious breaches can result in suspensions or permanent removal from the platform.

The company added that it is working individually with affected agents, reviewing cases and, where appropriate, restoring access while investigations are ongoing.

Rapid growth

The move comes amid continued expansion of mobile money services. Widely used for its simplicity and accessibility compared with traditional banking, mobile money has become a key tool for financial inclusion, particularly among populations underserved by formal financial institutions.

According to the Bank of Ghana’s 2024 Annual Payment Systems Oversight Report, the total value of mobile money transactions reached 3,010 billion Ghanaian cedis ($273 billion) in 2024, up 56.8% from 1,920 billion cedis in 2023. As of end-2025, active accounts stood at 26.7 million, out of 80.5 million registered accounts.

This growth has been accompanied by a rise in fraud. The Bank of Ghana’s 2023 Financial Stability Report recorded 13,451 fraud cases across the financial sector, of which mobile money accounted for 20%, or about 2,700 cases involving platforms such as MTN MoMo, Vodafone Cash and AirtelTigo Money.

Agents at the heart of the system

Fraud involving mobile money agents remains one of the most common forms reported. It includes misconduct by intermediaries handling deposits, withdrawals, SIM registrations and identity verification (KYC). Such practices often exploit the close relationship between agents and customers, as well as operational gaps in the system.

The most common form is commission fraud, where agents manipulate transactions to increase earnings. Tactics include creating fictitious accounts, chaining deposits, transfers and withdrawals, splitting transactions, or encouraging customers to inflate transaction amounts. In some cases, super-agents have also been found to divert part of the commissions owed to sub-agents.

Agents may also commit fraud during cash-in and cash-out operations, by giving customers less cash than withdrawn, crediting less than deposited, or carrying out transfers without the customer’s knowledge. Other violations include charging unauthorized fees, misusing or reselling customer data, and breaching KYC procedures in ways that enable identity theft, remote withdrawals or fraudulent deposits. These practices are often linked to broader fraud schemes, including social engineering and SIM swapping.

Isaac K. Kassouwi