Eleven young men accused of hacking into EcoCash accounts by dangling bogus free data offers before unsuspecting users appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai over the weekend.
The suspects, aged between 20 and 26, face fraud and hacking charges after allegedly siphoning more than US$61,000 from victims’ mobile money wallets.
Those in the dock are Mpho Ruzwidzo (22), Ishmael Muzanenhamo (20), Moses Shingirai Chawatama (24), Usher Forester Mubaiwa (26), Panashe Wesley Gonzo (22), Tinashe Gonzo (24), Eddington Leeroy Mazonde (21), Calvin Takudzwa Masiyandaita (23), Shawn Goodmore Chikangaidze, Billy Zawe (21) and Dilan Macheka (22).
They were remanded in custody to 9 February 2026, when they are expected to apply for bail. The case involves 31 complainants.
Prosecutors allege that the group ran a coordinated phishing operation targeting Econet Zimbabwe’s EcoCash platform.
Beginning in November 2025, the suspects allegedly sent fraudulent links to users, falsely advertising free data bundles.
Victims who clicked on the links were redirected to fake portals designed to harvest personal information, including mobile phone numbers.
The final step, the court heard, involved a follow-up phone call in which the suspects asked for a One-Time PIN sent to the victim’s handset.
Armed with the PIN, the accused allegedly gained unauthorised access to EcoCash accounts and transferred funds into accounts under their control.
On 4 February, detectives using intelligence-led policing and financial tracing techniques arrested Ruzwidzo and Muzanenhamo at their homes.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of five mobile phones linked to the scheme, several Econet SIM cards and US$600 in cash.
Information obtained during questioning led police to Chitungwiza, where the remaining suspects were rounded up.
Further searches yielded additional mobile phones, SIM cards and Econet lines believed to have been used in the fraud.
The total amount allegedly stolen through the scheme stands at approximately US$61,387.
More: The Herald
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