Now business news, the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, in conjunction with the Industry Consumer Advocacy Forum, ICAF, has stressed the need for sensitizing the populace on the exploitation of the SIM card replacement process through unauthorized SIM Swap by dubious individuals.


The duo, who stressed this at the fourth quarter open forum in Abuja, expressed the fear that mobile fraud may be the highest form of fraud in the country by next year.


Speakers at the forum, called for proactive cyber security.
In a welcome address, the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Nigerian Communications Commission, Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, said the negative implications of e-frauds are not only huge in financial losses but also high in reputational damage to telecoms operators, financial institutions, the regulators, security Agencies and the nation at large.


She opined that since the consumer is one of the major stakeholders in the telecom industry, it is the desire of the commission to ensure that they enjoy primary focus through adequate education, information sharing and the provision of an array of channels for redress, so as to safe guard Telecom consumers.


In a lecture on “detecting telecommunications frauds by understanding the contents of a call, text or email”, Mr. Benedict Anyalenkeya, of the New Capital Cooperative Society Lagos, cautioned telecoms users to be wary of the type of apps they download on their phones and opening any link without being sure of the site.


He called on banks and telecom operators to operate what he called behavioral pattern on their customers for easy detection of fraud.
Other speakers at the event including the ICAF Chairman, Prince Igho Majemite, Aisha Olatinwo of the CBN Payment Management Department among others called for the harmonization of data in Nigeria for prevention, detection and easy access to fraudsters.