MOBILE SCAMMERS ADVANCE, NOW BLOCKING VICTIMS’ NUMBERS AFTER FAILED SCAM

A new trend has emerged in which mobile scammers in Zambia are blocking mobile numbers of victims after a failed scam.

Several mobile users have been left stranded following this latest trend.

Diamond News has interviewed one of the victims, Moses Chisala, a newspaper hawker who has had his number blocked after he refused to send money to a scammer through a mobile transaction.

His mobile number has remained blocked since January 31, 2024 despite reporting the number to Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA).

When contacted for a comment, ZICTA Director Cyber Security Austin Sichinga says the method the scammers used to block numbers is being optimized with the operators to safeguard innocent consumers.