Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
MOBILE money platform EcoCash has come under mounting public scrutiny following the circulation of a viral audio recording in which a disgruntled user claims that funds are being siphoned from customers’ wallets without their consent.
In the recording, the unidentified woman alleges that money deposited into her EcoCash wallet vanished overnight, only to be transferred to another account without her authorisation.
She further claims that affected users are being directed to the police rather than having their disputed transactions reversed.
The audio, which has spread rapidly across social media over the past week, has unsettled EcoCash users nationwide.
In Mutare, several residents have echoed similar concerns, reporting unexplained losses from their wallets under unclear circumstances.
“It seems like the EcoCash system has been hacked. Someone sent me money last night and in the morning I found it missing. It had been transferred to another account,” she said, further claiming that when she reported the matter to EcoCash, the funds had already been withdrawn from the recipient’s account, making a reversal impossible.
“They checked my account and the other account, but the money had already been cashed out. They could not reverse it,” she said, adding that attempts to contact the recipient were unsuccessful.
This publication contacted police national spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, to confirm whether such reports had been officially recorded.
“We are in the process of verifying the allegations with the complainants and will get back to you once the process is complete,” said Commissioner Nyathi, declining to confirm or dismiss the claims at this stage.
In response, EcoCash issued statements on its official social media platforms dismissing claims of system breach, cautioning customers against misinformation.
“All communication on EcoCash services is issued through official EcoCash channels. Be careful and avoid misinformation,” the company said, adding that its services remain “safe, secure and fully available”.
EcoCash also urged customers to protect their personal information, warning against sharing PINs or One-Time Passwords (OTPs).
In a separate fraud alert, the company acknowledged the existence of scams targeting its customers through fake promotions, loan offers and online deals.
“Scammers trick customers into sharing their EcoCash PIN or OTP. Once this information is disclosed, fraudsters gain unauthorised access to the wallet and steal funds,” reads the statement
Despite the assurances, several users reported losses and expressed frustration over how fraud cases are handled.
One claimant, Ms Metilia Shumba said she lost US$265, alleging that EcoCash advised her to report the matter to the police after the funds were withdrawn.
Another user, Miss Primerose Maramane Siziba, said money was taken from her wallet within hours despite reporting the issue shortly after the suspected fraud.
Public criticism has also mounted online, with users questioning why disputed transactions are not frozen immediately.
“You rush to EcoCash to tell them of this mishap and they refer you to the police instead of freezing the transaction. Can you not freeze it while police do their own job? To be fair, how can money disappear without any transaction?” commented one user, Clara TG Nandanda.
Investigations into the allegations are ongoing.
Another, Mr More Panganayi, criticised what he described as slow response times from customer support, arguing that accounts receiving suspected stolen funds should be frozen pending investigations.
“The rate at which people are losing their hard-earned cash and the responses they get from 114 is disheartening. Why does it take that long for a transaction to be investigated? If one reports a fraud case, the first thing should be to freeze the account that has received the money, then investigate later,” he wrote.
Some Mutare residents, who spoke to this publication said they had either experienced similar incidents or knew people who had reported unexplained EcoCash transactions, intensifying anxiety in the city where mobile money remains central to daily commerce.
Investigations into the allegations are ongoing.
