Econet Wireless refutes claims of massive data breach amid customer concerns

Econet Wireless, a leading telecommunications company in Zimbabwe, has denied allegations of a massive data breach after a social media post claimed that a threat actor was selling a subscriber list containing 852,791 customer records. The post, which appeared on X (formerly Twitter) on February 4, 2025, sparked widespread concern among customers regarding the potential exposure of sensitive personal information.

In response, Econet issued a statement refuting the allegations and asserting that internal investigations had found no evidence of unauthorized access to sensitive customer data. "Our internal investigations, which started immediately on the day the allegations were made, have detected no breach on our systems that would lead to unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, that is not already in the public domain or accessible through third parties," the company stated.

Econet reaffirmed its commitment to data security, emphasizing that it treats such allegations with the utmost seriousness. The company revealed that its incident management protocols were activated as soon as the claim surfaced, and it has been working with international cybersecurity experts to monitor its systems around the clock. "We have been monitoring our systems 24/7 to ensure heightened security of our business systems and the privacy of our customers’ sensitive data," the company added.

Additionally, Econet confirmed that it had reported the incident to regulators and other relevant authorities and is cooperating with them as investigations continue. However, the company did not directly address growing concerns from customers who have reported receiving suspicious messages from unknown numbers in recent weeks. These reports have fueled speculation that third-party systems linked to Econet may have been compromised.