Using mobile money safely
Learn how mobile money licence types, fees, limits and everyday account safety work. Check each provider's published information.
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Paying from your phone
Mobile money has changed how we pay. Send money to family, pay a trader, buy airtime, all from your phone, often without a bank account.
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Paying from your phone
Mobile money has changed how we pay. Send money to family, pay a trader, buy airtime, all from your phone, often without a bank account.
Different kinds of money apps
But not every money app is the same kind of business. Some are licensed mobile money operators. Some are payment service banks. Some are microfinance banks with an app. And some aren't licensed at all.
Licence type and regulator
The licence matters, because it tells you who supervises them and what rules protect your money. On Afiwe, every listing shows its licence type and its regulator.
Check fees and limits
Next, fees and limits. Many wallets charge for transfers, cash-outs or bills, and most have limits on how much you can hold or send each day. Your limit often rises when you verify your identity. Check the provider's published fees before you rely on it for big payments.
Never share your PIN
Now, safety. Your PIN is your key. Never share it, not with an agent, not with customer care, not with a friend. Real staff will never ask for it.
A wrong-transfer message
Watch out for 'wrong transfer' tricks. Someone sends you money 'by mistake' and begs you to send it back, sometimes to a different number. Often the first transfer was fake or will be reversed. If money arrives by mistake, don't send anything yourself. Contact your provider and let them sort it out.
Check before you send
Check every transfer before you confirm: the name, the number, the amount. Once sent, it can be hard to get back.
Lock your phone and account
And lock your phone. If someone has your unlocked phone, they're close to your wallet. If your phone is lost or stolen, call your provider straight away to block your account.
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General education, not financial advice. Amounts shown in illustrations are examples only.