THE government has announced plans to publicly release the names of individuals involved in online crimes, including those who scam citizens by sending text messages requesting money transfers via mobile phones.

Maryprisca Mahundi, Deputy Minister for Communication and Information Technology, made the announcement recently during her visit to assess communication conditions at the Tanzania-Zambia border, specifically at the border post in Tunduma.

She stated that for a long time, these criminals had faced legal action, including being taken to court and having their lines disconnected, but their identities had not been disclosed. This lack of transparency has allowed the crime wave to continue affecting citizens.

Mahundi emphasised that her ministry will collaborate with the Ministry of Home Affairs to expose and publicly name these criminals so that citizens can recognise them and avoid falling victim to these scams.

“We have decided to start working with the Ministry of Home Affairs. While we have been disconnecting the lines they use, we have not been naming them. This new approach we are introducing will help us tackle this wave of crime,” Mahundi said.

Momba District Commissioner, Elias Mwandobo, stated that rural residents in his district have been heavily targeted by scammers and requested government assistance to control this issue.

He explained that some scammers pose as mobile network agents in rural areas, convincing people to hand over their phones and bank cards for “connection services.” Once in possession of the items, the scammers transfer money from the victims' accounts without their knowledge, leaving many rural residents with large sums of money on their phones.

“These agents are unknown and it’s unclear who sends them to carry out these activities. Our people are losing a lot of money, so we ask for assistance to protect our citizens,” Mwandobo said.

Eng. Richard Sotery, manager of the universal communication service fund for the southern highlands noted that communication conditions in Momba District are improving following government efforts to enhance network infrastructure.

He mentioned that a survey had been conducted across Momba District to identify areas with communication challenges, aiming to improve the situation.