Dar es salaam: A public education campaign titled Kwea Kidijitali on the proper and safe use of communication services was launched by the Tanzania Communications Authority (TCRA) in August 2022.

Speaking on the campaign in Dar es Salaam the Authority’s Head of the Communication and Public Relations, Ms Lucy Mbogoro said the regulator is determined to guarantee that more users are reached with information on the proper, safe, and productive use communication services and goods.

“It is good for citizens to continue to have a broad understanding of avoiding communication fraud, which is why, we have come up with this campaign,” she said.

She unveiled that TCRA is employing various ways to reach the goal, including educating users of mobile communication services on how to verify their sim cards by dialling *106# and then follow the on-screen instructions.

She stated that by dialling the short code number, telco users would be able to determine registration status as well as foreign phone numbers for which they need contact their service provider to have the foreign numbers erased.

“Since it is hard to predict who will register their mobile phone numbers using your National Identity number (NIN), it is advised that you get your SIM cards confirmed. Given the possible consequences of illegal conduct, this verification procedure is necessary for ensuring the security of users of communication services,” she insisted.

She emphasised, "I advise my fellow Tanzanians and the general public to double-check their active Sim-cards, and undo if there happen to be unfamiliar phone number (s). This will safeguard your safety while accessing communication services” she added.

She advised users to text the word "Fraud" to 15040 if they get text messages from scammers requesting them to transfer money or displaying other tell-tale indicators of fraud.

"After sending the SMS, a source shall receive an autogenerated instruction instructing them to reveal the scammer-associated number by pasting it on the popup interface and resending it to the same number by which the reported numbers will be received and investigated by law enforcement agencies before legal action is taken against such defrauders," she added.

Manager of Communications Users and Consumers at TCRA Mr. Thadayo Ringo stressed the significance of the campaign in lowering fraud incidences among communication service users.

“If someone sends you a link you don’t recognise, don’t click on it. If someone calls to tell you that you won a lottery that you did not partake, don’t respond. If someone says your son is sick at school and other similar issues, don’t cooperate,” Mr Ringo presaged.

In regards to e-commerce, he recommended that when making large purchases, such as those for a company, it is often advantageous for online buyers to discover whether the online merchant, particularly those who are outside of Tanzanian borders, has an agent here in the country and purchase through the agency rather than placing direct orders.

Several messages used in the TCRA campaign emphasise public education and underscore the following: Never send money through your mobile phone to someone you don't know; examine the message and the phone number being used to request money before completing a transaction; and, at all times, communicate with service providers by dialling the 100 number. Furthermore, the TCRA strongly advises against following any instructions provided by an unknown caller, and to double-check your registered phone numbers by calling *106.

The purpose of the TCRA, according to Director General Dr. Jabiri Bakari, is to ensure that Tanzania's cyber space is effectively safeguarded so that users, especially those interested in taking use of the space's many advantages, can stay firm and confident at all times.

“The cyber space is a region where we have a considerable amount of potential, thus at TCRA, we are determined to make sure it is safer and benefits our country's economy. Effective use of these digital sites has the potential to unleash many benefits offered by the modern environment,” remarked Dr. Bakari during the 2022 Dar es salaam International Trade Fair when reached by media at TCRA pavilion.