Malawians have being urged to think twice before sending money or sharing personal information, as cases of fraud involving mobile money and digital financial services continue to rise.

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, MACRA, has warned the public to remain vigilant, saying fraudsters are increasingly using convincing messages and fake social media accounts to trick unsuspecting people.

MACRA Director General, Dr Mayamiko Nkoloma, has cautioned the public against common scams, including fake Social Cash Transfer messages, urgent requests for money, fraudulent mobile money transaction SMS notifications, hacked WhatsApp accounts and fake competition prizes.

He says members of the public should always stop, check and verify before sending money, especially when they receive unsolicited messages or urgent financial requests.

Dr Nkoloma has also advised people not to return money simply because they have received an SMS claiming that a transaction has been made. Instead, he says, they should first confirm the transaction directly through the relevant mobile money platform or by checking their account balance.

He has further reminded the public that government institutions and civil society organisations involved in Social Cash Transfer programmes do not use ordinary SMS or WhatsApp messages to ask beneficiaries to send money.

Meanwhile, Dr Nkoloma has urged Malawians to be cautious of offers promising free money, unexpected prizes or easy financial gains.

He says anyone whose WhatsApp account has been compromised should immediately alert their contacts and report the matter to the relevant service provider.