MTN hit by another scam

LEADING mobile services provider MTN, which warned subscribers of hoax e-mails in South Africa recently, has been hit by another scam, this time in Ghana.

The company has alerted its customers of an e-mail scam in which participating individuals in a purported promotion are promised Nokia N95 and Nokia E90 as prizes if they forward a certain e-mail to about 20 people.

In a press release, MTN Ghana Corporate Services executive, Mawuena Dumor, said MTN distanced itself from the so-called promotion.

She said MTN was neither organizing such a promotion nor had it authorized a third party to do so.

Authentic promotion campaigns run by MTN satisfy a number of criteria’s, including advertisements in a mix of media, publication of winners in the newspapers and alerting winners from the standard office lines, she said.

MTN insisted that MTN promotions did not require participants to spend their money or airtime to redeem their prizes.

ITNewsAfrica reported on Thursday that MTN was wary of fraudulent emails claiming it has embarked on a promotion to give away free handsets in South Africa.

According to the company, the scam started in December.

“MTN is aware of a fraudulent email being circulated via the internet which announces that MTN is giving away free handsets. This email is a hoax and has not been authorized by MTN South Africa,” said the company’s spokesperson, Bridget Bhengu.

“All MTN promotions and competitions are checked and audited. The company does not make use of random emails to promote any of its promotions, competitions or give-aways,” Bhengu said.–ITNewsAfrica.