AN Umgeni Park (Riverside) resident has accused a communications giant of failing her as a customer after months of unanswered complaints, mounting bills, and financial stress linked to a fraud case that remains unresolved.

Freda Munro says her nightmare began in April this year, when she went into MTN’s La Lucia branch to enquire about a contract upgrade.

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Instead of a routine renewal, she was told that a fraudulent number had been linked to her profile and had already run up thousands of rands in bills against her name.

@caxtonlocalmediaImagine months of stress, mounting bills, and missed appointments… all because of fraud linked to your phone account. That’s the nightmare an Umgeni Park resident says she faced with MTN after a fraudulent number was linked to her profile. MTN has since stepped in after media intervention, but the ordeal raises big questions about fraud and customer protection. Read the full story on Northglen News website. #NorthglenNews #Durban #MTN #ConsumerRights #IdentityTheft #FraudAlert

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“I did everything MTN asked of me. I submitted an affidavit, I followed up, I sent more than 50 emails yet the fraudulent account is still active, and I am the one paying the price.

“I am in absolute shock at how I have been treated,” Munro told Northglen News.

Despite being assured by email on May 14 that the matter was resolved, Munro continues to face debit charges to the tune of R400 monthly for a contract she cannot use or upgrade.

Although not held accountable for the fraudulent bill of over R5000 linked to her account, Munro said she still feels uneasy knowing that she has criminal activity against her name.

“I was also told by staff at an MTN branch that I won’t be able to obtain a contract from another service provider.

So, I have incurred over R2000 in personal expenses trying to repair my phone which now won’t switch on, as well as travel, admin costs and missed appointments – one of them being an appointment with SARS,” she said.

Munro says the ordeal has caused her months of unnecessary stress and wasted time.

“I have missed critical appointments, including one with SARS. MTN’s inaction has cost me financially and emotionally. How can a company of this size not take responsibility?”

Following intervention on the matter from the Northglen News, MTN lifted the fraudulent hold on Munro’s account which was as a result of identity theft, where Munro’s personal information was used to initiate a contract via an authorised sales partner.

In an email sent to the publication on Monday just before deadline, MTN South Africa confirmed that Munro’s fraud case was reported to MTN on April 22.

It further stated that her inability to upgrade was due to a collections flag stemming from the earlier fraud case. This flag has since been removed, and their Retentions team is assisting her directly.

“Upon receipt of her documentation, our Fraud Department investigated and resolved the matter within the standard five-day turnaround. Her credit profile was updated on 30 April 2025, and a clearance letter confirming resolution was issued on 14 May 2025. All correspondence sent to our fraud department was reviewed, and the necessary updates and documentation were provided to Ms Munro, including the clearance letter. Regarding financial redress, we can confirm that no debits were made from Ms Munro’s bank account in relation to the fraudulent contract. While we regret the inconvenience caused, there were no direct financial losses attributable to MTN in this instance.

“Ms Munro’s ongoing billing of R399 relates to a separate mobile contract which is active on a month-to-month basis. Despite MTN’s efforts to safeguard customer information and protect accounts from fraudulent activity, there are cases (like this one) where fraudsters already possess personal information before approaching us to open an account. Typically, this information is acquired before any interaction with MTN. Impersonation fraud is a growing concern nationally, with the South African Fraud Prevention Services reporting a 356% increase in such cases between April 2022 and April 2023.”

In the meantime MTN says it has taken fraud prevention seriously and has implemented a range of robust measures to protect customers which include:

• A nationwide biometric authentication system using real-time fingerprint and facial recognition, now deployed at selected MTN stores. This significantly reduces identity-related fraud and improves onboarding security.
• Strengthened internal controls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent unauthorised access.
• Ongoing customer awareness campaigns to ensure our customers are informed and empowered to protect themselves against fraud.
• A secure, independently operated whistle-blowing platform accredited by the Ethics Institute, enabling anonymous reporting of fraud or misconduct.
• Ongoing collaboration with law enforcement authorities (SAPS Crime Intelligence, the Commercial Crimes Unit, and other crime prevention units) to ensure the successful apprehension of fraudsters.

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