A WHILSTLEBLOWER has helped police bust a syndicate of sophisticated criminals behind an airtime fraud scam which could have prejudiced the mobile phone network operator, NetOne, of well over $550 million in what could easily rank as one of the biggest cyber heists in the country.
The arrest of five fraud suspects last week exposed weaknesses in mobile network's systems, which resulted in the massive loss.
Three NetOne employees, a bulk airtime dealer and his employee have since been arrested and taken to court after duping the State-owned company of US$565 999 964 through the use of a pin-less credit airtime transfer facility.
Primrose Maireti, Faith Ndagurwa, Simbarashe Mandimutsira, James Mwanza and Kumbulani Nyapfumbi last week appeared at Harare Magistrates Court charged with fraud.
They were not asked to plead to the charges and were remanded in custody pending their bail application.
It is the State's case that on January 25 this year, detectives from CID Commercial Crimes Division Northern Region were tipped off that NetOne Cellular (Private) Limited employees were stealing pin-less credit airtime and supplying dealers.
The State alleges that they would then resell the airtime at a price with a higher discounted margin than NetOne.
On January 26, detectives from CID Commercial Crimes Division Northern Region visited NetOne Cellular management and established that its loss control and fraud management team was already carrying out internal investigations following...
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