PSSSF issues alert on cybercriminals targeting retirees’ pay

Leonard Kondobol

TANZANIA: THE Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) has warned retirees countrywide to be cautious of...

increased number of cybercriminals targeting them to siphon their retirement benefits.

The PSSSF alert is in line with public awareness education to the senior citizens on how to keep their monies safe from the criminals.

The Fund has been disseminating awareness education through various media platforms and organising workshops and conferences that include sourcing experts from the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to educate them.

Speaking to the ‘Daily News’ yesterday, PSSSF Public Relations Manager James Mlowe explained that their aim is to protect retirees from the ongoing online scams that have been targeting them in the country.

“In our efforts to educate retirees about the indicators of online crimes, we have been collaborating with experts from TCRA,” Mlowe pointed out.

Elaborating, he noted that during the recent workshops they educated the members, who have been particularly vulnerable to online criminals.

Detailing, he mentioned that on the initiative, some TCRA experts have so far provided education to them in Zanzibar and six regions in Tanzania mainland namely Mwanza, Dar es salaam, Arusha, Mbeya,Morogoro and Dodoma.

“We have involved TCRA professionals who have been presenting topics on how to identify indicators of online fraud among retirees,” Mlowe emphasised.

He also noted that the online crime has been particularly targeting retirees and financial institutions such as banks and social security funds.

The conmen take advantage of the retirees’ low awareness on cybercrime, especially where the criminals pretend to be government officials who are capable of fast-tracking payment of their benefits.

“When a fraudster calls them and offers a deal, they don’t involve anyone, not their spouses, not their children and they don’t even come to our offices to share for verifications,” he added.

He urged retirees, prospective retirees and Tanzanians in general to understand that no government payments are made without a control number.

“We often forget, but we need to remember that no government payments are made without a control number. I don’t understand why someone would agree to send a certain amount of money to an unknown person claiming to have the ability of assisting them to access services,” posed Mr Mlowe.