NCC intensifies sensitisation on telecoms fraud

By Olatunde Ajayi

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has sensitised motor spare parts traders in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on how to avoid telecom and e-fraud on mobile telecommunications network.

Its Head of Consumers Affairs, Mr Ayanbanji Ojo, said this at the NCC consumers sensitisation programme held at Agodi-Gate motors spare parts market on Thursday in Ibadan.

Ojo said that the commission had received several complaints on financial fraud through telecoms platforms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sensitisation programme featured awareness campaign, lectures, questions and answers, among others.

Ojo said that the commission decided to bring the sensitisation with the theme; “Shine Your Eyes, No Fall Mugu”, to the market because of the vulnerability of the most traders to events and happenings in the telecommunications space.

He urged consumers to always keep their Subscribers Identification Module(SIM) cards safe, beware of free gifts internet links, use strong passwords and guide against Identity thefts online.

Ojo also advised that and they should always be careful of investment schemes perpetuated on telecoms platforms.

“The market people are our telecom consumers, without them we can not exist as a regulator. The market people deserve to know what is going on in the telecoms space.

“There have been so many complaints on loss of money. So, we need to educate our consumers all the time because we are now in the sustainability of telecoms industry.

“If we do not sustain the telecom consumers, the fraudsters will take advantage of them.

“As telecom regulator, we advise people to go to their service providers to resolve complaints. But if they are disatisfied, they can call NCC toll free number ‘622’ to resolve the issue, “he said.

Also speaking, the President, Ibadan Motor Parts Dealers Association, Mr Moruf Olanrewaju, commended the efforts of the NCC to safe the consumers from the rising trends of telecoms fraud.

Olanrewaju noted telecoms fraudsters adopt new methods from time to time.

He urged the commission to increase its routine sensitisation programmes to the market, motor parks and other public gatherings to expose the consumers to new scams before they become victims.

(NAN)