EcoCash scam: companies warned
ECONET Wireless Zimbabwe has once again warned companies that are charging customers an extra fee for EcoCash transactions, saying it was illegal and against the spirit of promoting the use of plastic money.
As cash shortages persist, most people have resorted to the use of plastic money, but some shops are now charging customers extra amounts for transacting using the EcoCash platform. Econet Wireless Zimbabwe executive assistant to the group chief executive officer Mr Lovemore Nyatsine said companies should stop the malpractice and customers should report those shops to the company.
“Our agents are not allowed to charge extra fees for transactions. We do not condone any form of malpractice by our agents and merchants and we take any misconduct seriously to protect our customers,” he said.
A survey done by the Sunday News in Bulawayo revealed that a number of shops and food outlets were charging extra money for transactions through EcoCash. The shop owners said they were charging extra because it was also a challenge to withdraw the money from their mobile wallets.
“We are adding 50 cents on each transaction of $10 so that when we eventually manage to withdraw it we will have a little extra. This money is spending weeks in the wallet because we cannot cash out so we add that 50 cents,” said a shop owner who declined to be named.
A shop owner who sells clothes said he also does not have a merchant number so he was transferring the money into his personal account.
Mr Nyatsine said customers were only supposed to pay for the tagged price of goods in shops and there was no any other extra fees that must be charged to a customer buying using retailers’ merchants.
“We continue to urge our customers to help us in identifying those agents conducting in such misbehaviours upon which we act upon accordingly. We also urge our customers to report the agent or merchant number charging extra fees and any other malpractices through our toll free number 114 or write to our social media pages. Alternatively, they can alert any nearest EcoCash shop,” said Nyatsine.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Mr Denford Mutashu also said it was illegal for traders to charge extra on EcoCash transactions.
“It is illegal for retailers to sell products then charge an extra when people are transacting via EcoCash. The premium they are charging is rather high and uncalled for. People are being short changed which is not fair at all. It is out of order that retailers do such a thing when money is hard to come by. People are facing challenges and then you charge them more on the little that they are making,” he said.
He said retailers that will be found doing this will be de-registered from the EcoCash service.
“We are urging all individuals and retailers that are doing this malpractice to stop forthwith as they will be de-registered from using the service. We have actually de-registered some people with the aid of Econet. We are working in conjunction with Econet and Steward Bank,” he said.