How to shop online with MTN Mobile Money

MTN Zambia recently added a new feature to their Mobile Money (aka MoMo) service allowing users to create a VISA virtual card. The virtual card allows you to buy stuff online and process payments as long as you have enough money for the purchase in your  MoMo account, obviously.

Here are the steps MTN has provided to get your own virtual card:

Step 1: Dial *303# and Select option 6 Banking services

Step 2: Select option 2 Mobile Money Virtual Card

Step 3: Select Option 1 Create Virtual Card

Step 4: The system will send two SMSs. The first SMS will contain 14 digits for your card number and the second SMS will contain the last 4 digits of the card number, the CVV number and the expiry date.

However, there is a catch. Each card generated expires after 7 days but you can use it as many times during that 7 day period as long as you have money in your MoMo account.

If you make an order but then cancel and have to get a refund, the money will be sent back to your MoMo account even if the card you used has expired, according to this response when asked on their Facebook  page:

MTN says they limited it to a 7 day period for security reasons, that’s why users are able to terminate the card in the MoMo menu. They have studied how users are skeptical about online shopping and this was strategically done to help ease their mind about it.

Have you tried it out?