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A call has been made to media practitioners to create effective awareness on risks and challenges associated with the operation of mobile money by mobile network operators in the country.

This, according to the Manager of Mobile Money Limited at MTN Ghana, Mr. Eli Hini, was a matter of importance because it would go a long way to reduce the rising rate of fraudulent practices in the telecommunication industry.

Mr. Hini made the call when he addressed journalists drawn from both print and electronic media organisations to undergo a one-day capacity building training on mobile money frauds in Accra.

The programme, which was a collaborative effort of MTN Mobile Money and E-Crime, aimed at discussing best practices and countermeasures, to address security, fraud and money laundering risks, and to encourage stakeholder engagement, especially, between MTN and media organisations.

It also served as a viable platform discussing strategies and providing assurances to build public confidence in mobile money operations.

The event further afforded the media the opportunity to identify common security, fraud and money laundering challenges, confronting mobile money operations as well as to create understanding and awareness.

Mr. Hini urged customers to be mindful of transacting business with unauthorised merchants and agents.

He disclosed that the MTN Mobile Money currently partners with sixteen banks, adding that it has approximately 5.6 million active subscribers and 60,000 active agents across the country.

Explaining the different kinds of fraud schemes, Principal Consultant of E-Crime Bureau, Mr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako blamed the situation on the weakness in national identification system and SIM registering lapses which he said were being exploited to perpetuate fraud.