Windhoek: Despite mandatory SIM registration, Namibians face an increase in 'vishing' scams, with regulatory authorities, network providers, and financial institutions continuing to urge customers to remain vigilant. Vishing, or 'voice phishing,' involves scammers using phone calls to deceive individuals into disclosing sensitive information, transferring money, or granting account access. This technique relies mostly on psychological manipulation.

According to Namibia Press Agency, consumers frequently lose money and sensitive information to these scams, with police reports regularly confirming ongoing incidents. In the past two weeks, police documented two cases where individuals were defrauded by vishing scams. Authorities including the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), MTC, and the Bank of Namibia (BoN) have emphasized that while new registration requirements improve accountability, they do not fully address advanced social engineering tactics.

In an interview with Nampa, CRAN Communication and Consumer Relations Executive, Mufaro Nesongano noted that mandatory SIM registration is vital for linking SIM cards to verified identities but cannot completely eradicate scams. He stated that its main purpose is to equip law enforcement with the means to trace mobile numbers associated with criminal activities. "CRAN continues to monitor compliance with the SIM registration requirements through ad hoc independent investigations and regulatory oversight to strengthen consumer protection. We also conduct awareness campaigns to encourage consumers to remain vigilant and report suspicious calls or messages to both their service provider and the Namibian Police," he said. He advocated for adopting technologies and measures to protect consumers from emerging threats.

MTC spokesperson Erasmus Nekundi said the network is committed to supporting NamPol in fraud-related investigations, as well as adhering to legal and regulatory frameworks. Regarding the potential for MTC to block numbers or disclose subscriber details in response to scam allegations, Nekundi explained that the company is prohibited from acting on 'unverified public reports.' He said MTC's statutory obligation is to protect consumer data privacy, confirming that all interventions must be grounded in verified legal process. "When the police request information from us, we have those details; however, we don't just give those details out. There should be a court order that requests us to assist the police in the investigation. If there is no court order, we will not reveal all the information," he stressed, emphasizing the need to protect consumer data. Nekundi stressed that MTC is not responsible when customers voluntarily give away their banking PINs, OTPs, or identification details to scammers, despite manda tory SIM registration.

BoN Senior Communications Specialist, Josefina Oskar noted that SIM registration is just one aspect of a broader fraud prevention framework and does not alone prevent vishing or financial fraud. "Fraudsters continue to exploit social engineering methods, and an effective response requires coordinated action by financial institutions, mobile network operators, CRAN, law enforcement, and other relevant stakeholders," she said. Oskar called for collaboration with stakeholders to fortify fraud prevention via secure information sharing, advanced detection, and intensified inter-agency cooperation. "Together with SIM registration, these measures are important for strengthening the overall response to mobile-enabled financial fraud while respecting applicable legal, privacy, and consumer protection requirements," she noted. She further said that there are no impediments within the bank's framework that prevent efforts to combat financial fraud.