Cybercrime: Expose yourselves to education, enlightenment, NCC tells consumers

Ladesope Ladelokun 

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged telecom consumers to go all out to get informed and enlightened on how to protect themselves from cybercriminals while making use of the internet, stating cybercrimes get more sophisticated  the more people to get connected to the internet.

The Commission says it is important to know the antics of cybercriminals that use the cyberspace to defraud legitimate internet users and expose their victims to all manner of dangers.

Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau at the NCC, Felicia Onwuegbuchulam stated this at the 51st edition of the Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM) in Warri, Delta State recently  with the theme: Mitigating  Effects of Cybercrimes: the Role of Telecom Consumers,

says telecommunications consumers  are important stakeholders in the cyberspace, noting  that there is a need for consumers to update themselves on cybercrime trends because cybercriminals will continue to make cybercrime unsafe.

“It is our belief at the commission, therefore, that as more people are getting connected  to the internet, the sophistication of cybercrime is also becoming heightened.

It is for this reason  that the commission is hosting this forum to sensitise and enlighten consumers to become more aware of cybercrime trends and to make efforts to improve the safety of users on the cyberspace.

“Cybercriminals will continue to make cyberspace unsafe. So, consumers who desire to be protected while online must expose themselves to education and enlightenment to be equipped with measures to be taken for their safety while using the internet”, she said

Represented at the event by Ismail Adedigba, Head, Information and Reference, NCC, Onwuegbuchulam said the NCC would not relent in its efforts to educate and enlighten consumers on issues in the industry, adding that the planned Internet Code of Practice for service providers was designed to protect consumers.

“The innovation week is, therefore, a platform to work as a Group and across the aisle as we seek creative ways of leading the change in the financial services sector across Middle Africa”, he added.