The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has warned Nigerians against cybercriminals who impersonate individuals, public officials and organisations to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
The centre disclosed this in a statement issued by its Public Relations Liaison Officer, DSP Unwana Imah, in Abuja.
According to the statement, the fraudsters create fake social media accounts or gain unauthorised access to existing profiles, using victims’ names, photographs and personal information to deceive their friends, relatives, colleagues and business associates.
The police said the criminals often send urgent requests for financial assistance, promote fraudulent investment opportunities or propose deceptive business transactions to convince their targets to transfer money.
It added that some offenders also pose as representatives of financial institutions or law enforcement agencies to obtain sensitive information, including banking details, passwords, personal identification numbers and one-time passwords (OTPs).
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the NPF-NCCC, AIG Akaninyene Ezima, urged members of the public to exercise caution when responding to unsolicited calls, messages and online requests, particularly those involving financial transactions or confidential information.
Ezima advised Nigerians to independently verify such requests by contacting the individuals or organisations concerned through known telephone numbers or other trusted communication channels.
He also warned the public against sharing passwords, PINs and OTPs with anyone, regardless of the identity they claim to represent.
The centre further advised victims whose social media accounts had been compromised to alert their contacts, secure their accounts and report the incident to the relevant platform.
Those who had already transferred money to suspected fraudsters were urged to immediately contact their financial institutions and report the incident to the nearest police station or the NPF-NCCC, alongside any available evidence.
The police reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to tackling cybercrime through intelligence-led investigations, collaboration with relevant stakeholders and sustained public awareness campaigns.
The NPF-NCCC urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt safe digital practices to protect themselves against online fraud and identity theft.
