The message arrives at the worst possible moment. "Muraho, I sent Rwf40,000 to your number by mistake. Please send it back. My child is sick, and I need it for the clinic.” Your phone shows no such deposit, but the voice on the follow-up call sounds so desperate, so ordinary, that you start to doubt yourself. That hesitation is exactly what the swindler, or umuriganya, is counting on.

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Mobile money has changed daily life in Rwanda. You pay the moto, top up electricity, and split bills with friends, all from MTN MoMo, Airtel Money, or through eKash. It’s fast, convenient, and easy to use.

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But the same system that makes your money easy to move also makes it easy to steal; not by breaking any code, but by tricking you into handing it over yourself.

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Here is the most important thing to understand: nearly every mobile money scam works the same way. The swindler cannot take your money directly. He needs you to press the buttons. So, he manufactures a reason for you to act quickly, before you have time to think.

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Learn to recognize that pressure, and the most common tricks, and you take away his weapons.

The "wrong transfer” trap

Someone claims they sent you money by accident and begs you to return it. In truth, no money ever reached you. If you "send it back,” you are simply sending your own cash to a stranger. Always check your actual balance and transaction history first.

The fake agent or fake customer care call

A polite voice says they are calling from your provider to "fix a problem” or "reverse a failed transaction,” then asks for your PIN or a code you just received by SMS. Stop right there. MTN, Airtel, and your bank will never ask for your PIN or a one-time code. Anyone who does is a thief, no matter how professional they sound.

The prize that costs you money

A text says you have won airtime, a phone, or a cash promotion, but you must first "confirm” by entering a code or clicking a link. The prize does not exist. The link or code is the trap.

The distress call

A message or call claims a family member is in trouble and needs money urgently.

It plays on love and fear to make you skip your normal caution. Before sending anything, call the relative directly on the number you already know.

Your everyday defenses

Protecting yourself doesn’t require any special knowledge, just a few habits.

Keep your PIN to yourself, always. Not your best friend, not the helpful stranger. Choose a PIN that is not your birth year or 1234, and change it if you ever suspect someone saw it.

Slow down. The swindler’s whole plan depends on rushing you. When a message creates panic or urgency, treat that feeling itself as a warning sign. Put the phone down for two minutes. Real emergencies survive a short pause; scams usually do not.

Verify independently. Do not trust a phone number or link someone sends you. Call your relative on their known number. Reach your provider through the official short code, not a number from a text. This single habit defeats most scams on its own.

If it happens to you

Being deceived by a skilled umuriganya is nothing to be ashamed of. What matters is acting fast.

Call your provider immediately and ask them to freeze the transaction or your account. The sooner you report, the better the chance of stopping the money before it is withdrawn. Change your PIN right away. Report the fraud to the police or Rwanda Investigation Bureau, and keep any messages or numbers as evidence.

Then tell the people around you what happened. The swindler relies on silence and embarrassment. Every story you share protects a neighbor, parent, or younger sibling.

The writer is a personal finance expert, speaker, and author of 16 books including the New York Times bestseller "Zero Debt."