Based on official reports released by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), the Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE), and the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) in late 2025, the Number One General Fraud Scam in Eswatini is a category of crime known locally as the “Facata Scam.”
The Facata Scam is a form of high-volume, low-value Mobile Money and E-Wallet Fraud that relies heavily on social engineering.
The official figures confirm its status as the number one scam by volume and total loss among individuals:
- Total Losses: Mobile money and e-wallet scams (Facata) accounted for E7.3 million in losses between September 2024 and September 2025, according to the REPS.
- Case Volume: Police reported 1,176 cases of fake e-wallet and mobile money scams during that period, making it the most frequently reported cyber-related crime.
Key Tactics of the Facata Scam:
- Fake Bank/Mobile Money Notifications: Fraudsters send convincing SMS messages (often impersonating an “inContact” or banking notification) to deceive the victim into believing a sum of money was erroneously deposited into their account.
- Impersonation and Urgency: The scammer immediately calls the victim, pretending to be a bank official or a distressed relative who made the wrong deposit. They demand the victim quickly “reverse” the transaction or divulge their PIN/OTP to cancel the “error.”
- The Fraud: By creating a sense of panic, the scammer manipulates the victim into authorizing a money transfer out of their own mobile money wallet, believing they are simply returning an accidental deposit.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service specifically emphasized that early reporting of the Facata Scam is critical for recovering funds, as they are actively tracking the criminal networks involved.