The Federal Police of Ethiopia has arrested 32 individuals engaged in telecom fraud sharing the state monopoly’s Ethio Telecom business.
The arrest is made over the last six months, according to Police TV report broadcasted this morning on the national broadcaster. The report stated that the people arrested have used different devices and modem to be engaged in illegal telecom business.
As a result of their fraud business, the country has lost over 30 million birr (around $1.1 million), according to the report.
Telecom fraud has been common business in Ethiopia.
In June 2016 the Information Network Security Agency (INSA) of Ethiopia indicated that in nine months period, Ethio telecom has lost over one billion birr (around $35.5 million at current exchange rate) because of telecom fraud.
In March 2017 Ethio Telecom reported a loss of $52 million every year because of telecom fraud. In October 2018 the company reported that it has lost 2.5 billion birr (about $89 million at current exchange rate) in one year time due to telecom fraud.
In Africa in 2015 mobile network operators lost more than $38 billion due to telecom fraud, according to the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA).