Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions you need to know and their easy-to-understand answers
1. What are the ways to open a Shamadhan account?
Answer: Opening a new Shamadhan account is very easy! Currently, all Airtel, Banglalink, Teletalk, Grameenphone, and Robi customers can open a Shamadhan account directly from the Shamadhan app on their phone. Download the Shamadhan app and follow the steps below to open an account from the comfort of your home.
Open an account via the Shamadhan App:
What you need to open an account through the app:
- A smartphone
- Original National ID Card
Steps:
- Open the Shamadhan app and tap on Login/Register.
- Select your operator and enter your mobile number.
- Enter the verification code sent to your mobile number and proceed to the next step.
- Read the terms and conditions, give your consent, and move forward.
- Take photos of the front and back of your National ID Card.
- Review the required information and proceed.
- Take a selfie using your phone’s front camera.
- Submit the information and proceed.
- If registration is successful, a 4-digit OTP will be sent to your SMS. Log in with this OTP and set a 4-digit PIN. (Do not share your OTP or PIN with anyone.)
- Wait for a verification confirmation SMS. It may take Shamadhan 2–3 working days to verify the information.
- Now log in to the Shamadhan app.
Always keep your PIN number confidential.
Open an account via e-KYC at an Agent Point:
Bring the following to the nearest Digital Registration Point to open a Shamadhan account:
- Mobile phone
- Original National ID Card
Steps:
- The agent will confirm your mobile number and operator, then seek your permission to open an account.
- You will receive a reference number sent to your number.
- The agent will take photos of the front and back of your National ID Card.
- The agent will take your photo and submit all information for e-KYC entry.
- If registration is successful, a 4-digit OTP will be sent to your SMS. Log in with this OTP and set a 4-digit PIN. (Do not share your OTP or PIN with anyone.)
- Wait for a verification confirmation SMS. It may take Shamadhan 2–3 working days to verify the information.
- Now log in to the Shamadhan app.
2. What are the types of Shamadhan accounts?
Answer:
- Customer Account
- Merchant Account
- Distributor Account
- Personal Retail Account
3. What are the transaction limits for a Shamadhan account (daily/monthly)?
Answer:
| Transaction Type | Number of Transactions | Amount Limit per Transaction | Maximum Amount Limit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | Monthly | Minimum (BDT) | Maximum (BDT) | Daily (BDT) | Monthly (BDT) | |
| Agent Payment to Cash-Out | 5 | 25 | 50 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 200,000 |
| Bank Account/Card to Add Money | 5 | 25 | 50 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 300,000 |
| Send Money (P2P) | 50 | 100 | 10 | 25,000 | 25,000 | 200,000 |
| Mobile Recharge | 50 | 1,500 | 10 | Prepaid: 1,000 Postpaid: 5,000 |
10,000 | 100,000 |
| Payment | No Limit | No Limit | 0.10 | No Limit | No Limit | No Limit |
| Agent Payment from Cash-Out | 5 | 20 | 50 | 25,000 | 25,000 | 150,000 |
| Bank Account Transfer | 5 | 20 | 50 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 300,000 |
A customer can hold a maximum of BDT 300,000 in their Shamadhan account at any time. Transaction limits are subject to change as per Bangladesh Bank guidelines.
4. What services are available under an MFS (Mobile Financial Services) account?
Answer:
Shamadhan services include:
- Cash-In
- Add Money
- Mobile Recharge
- Bill Payment
- Merchant Payment via Bangla QR
- E-Commerce Transactions
- Send Money
- Fund Transfer (Bank Account)
- Education Fee Payment
- Donation
5. What are the risks associated with a Shamadhan account?
Answer:
Awareness is the first and best tool against fraud. Always remember these points to keep your money safe:
- No matter what anyone says, never reveal or type your Shamadhan account OTP/PIN.
- If someone poses as an official and tries to intimidate or tempt you, hang up.
- If someone posing as an agent claims money was sent to you by mistake, hang up.
- If someone calls offering a grant or allowance, hang up.
- If told to follow a link for a benefit/gift online, ignore it.
Shamadhan is always committed to providing fraud-free and risk-free digital financial services to its customers. Our goal is to protect your money and personal information and raise awareness to help you avoid fraud. Learn about the types of fraud below and take the necessary precautions.
Types of Fraud
- Fake call claiming your Shamadhan account has been blocked A scammer poses as a fake Shamadhan agent or customer and calls you, claiming that while filing a complaint with Shamadhan, your account was accidentally blocked instead of another account. They further inform you that they have already reported it to Shamadhan and that an officer will contact you to unblock the account. Then, someone posing as a fake Shamadhan representative calls under the pretext of unblocking the account and tricks you into sharing the OTP and PIN from your messages, causing you financial harm.
- Fake call or message about grants/allowances/scholarships A scammer sends messages with false promises of scholarships, elderly allowances, government grants, or rural electricity benefits, asking you to call certain numbers or calling you directly. They then ask you to provide/dial the OTP from your SMS and your Shamadhan PIN to “verify your account,” and tell you to go to an agent point and cash in some money to your number. If you comply, you will become a victim of fraud.
- Account Update / Information Update Scam A scammer poses as a Shamadhan representative and contacts you by call/message, enticing you with various reasons (e.g., launching a new service, updating information) or threatening you (e.g., your account will be closed if you don’t update your information), and collects your confidential information. If you are persuaded to share your OTP and PIN, your account falls under the scammer’s control.
- IMO / Messenger / WhatsApp Scam A scammer poses as someone you know and sends messages via IMO/Messenger/WhatsApp, or hacks a known person’s IMO/Messenger account and messages you from it with false information to deceive you. They then ask you to send money or cash-in to a Shamadhan account number they provide. If you send money without verifying the truth, you will be defrauded.
- Fake Accident News Scammers may call you posing as law enforcement officials or imitating the voice of a relative or acquaintance. They then emotionally blackmail you with sudden false news of an accident or death of someone you know, asking you to immediately send money or cash-in for urgent help. If you send money without verifying the truth, you will be defrauded.
- Fake Offers / Advertisements Scammers lure you through SMS/calls/Facebook posts/websites with fake job offers, Shamadhan or other organizational service offers, and fake advertisements, asking you to send money/cash-out/pay a specific Shamadhan account number for form fill-up, registration fees, tax/VAT, or advance payment. If you fall for their trap, you will be defrauded.
- Agent DSO Masking or Head Office Officer Impersonation Scammers mask Shamadhan DSO/SR numbers or pose as Shamadhan Head Office officers and call Shamadhan agents, tempting them with various offers such as activating the agent app, opening a savings account, increasing commission, linking a personal account, reducing cash-out charges, or distributing agent banners/posters. To activate these offers, agents are asked to dial certain numbers in the Shamadhan dial option or cash-in money to a personal number, resulting in them being defrauded.
Other fraud types include:
- Calling while posing as relatives, influential persons, or senior officials to ask for money
- Hacking a known person’s Facebook account and messaging in their name to ask for money or personal information
- Calling late at night posing as a supernatural/spiritual figure
- Luring people with cashback offers or lotteries from popular organizations and asking for registration fees or money under other pretexts
- Sending fake SMS claiming “money was sent by mistake” and asking for money back
What to do to avoid fraud:
Your Shamadhan account PIN and the OTP from your SMS are strictly confidential. Shamadhan will never call from 16789 or any other number to ask for your PIN or OTP. So if anyone asks for this information, know that they are a scammer. If someone calls and asks for such confidential information, hang up immediately without engaging further.
Additionally, a scammer may ask you to check your Shamadhan account balance while on the call, or ask you to dial your PIN or OTP while still on the call. Never dial your PIN number or the OTP from your messages while on a phone call. A scammer may also ask you to perform addition/subtraction or multiplication/division of your PIN with some number to indirectly extract it. If you encounter such a situation, hang up immediately and call Shamadhan at 16789 to report it. Following the precautions below will ensure you never fall victim to fraud:
- Under no circumstances dial your Shamadhan PIN or OTP while on a call with anyone.
- If someone asks you to multiply/divide or add/subtract your PIN indirectly, refuse to do so.
- If someone on a call asks you to check your Shamadhan account balance, do not do it.
- If a new Shamadhan agent posing as a DSO calls and asks you to dial something on your phone or make a financial transaction, hang up immediately and call your saved DSO number to inform them.
- If a known or unknown person calls or messages via IMO/Messenger asking you to send money immediately, verify first before doing anything.
- If you see any Shamadhan promotional offer or post other than on Shamadhan’s verified official online page or website, call the helpline 16789 first to verify the information.
Also be aware of hundi (illegal money transfer), online foreign currency trading, online gambling, and cryptocurrency transactions to prevent them. Messages from the regulatory authority on this matter are as follows:
Message 1: Hundi is a form of money laundering or capital flight, which is a punishable offence under national law. Instead of sending your hard-earned foreign currency through hundi or other illegal means, send it home through legal/banking channels. Contribute to building a remittance-rich Bangladesh.
Message 2: Online foreign currency trading, investment in foreign stock markets, online gambling, and cryptocurrency transactions are punishable offences under prevailing laws in Bangladesh. Refrain from committing these offences yourself and discourage your family members from doing so as well.
What to do if you have been defrauded:
If you feel you have been defrauded, follow these steps:
- First, promptly inform the Shamadhan account authority by calling the Shamadhan helpline 16789 or through other customer service channels. Try to explain when the fraud occurred and how you were deceived.
- Immediately change your Shamadhan account PIN. Do not share the new PIN with anyone. If needed, you can call the Shamadhan helpline 16789 or contact other customer service channels for assistance.
Contact channels for Shamadhan account authority for any business or complaint-related needs:
- Call the Shamadhan helpline: 16789
- Visit your nearest branch
- Email: info@shamadhan.com.bd
- Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shamadhan
