₦airaland Forum

It is no longer news that ‘scams are real’ and ‘scammers exist’, they are humans like us and they are apparently in every corner of the world.

Down the memory lane, the term “yahoo” was localized in Nigeria in the early 2000s as the name for ‘internet fraud’.

While the internet has made it simple for us as humans to connect easily, the simplicity has brought in bigger challenges.

The internet offers us a wide range of benefits but sadly, internet fraudsters devise clever plans to defraud millions of people every day.

Online fraud and scams operate under many different disguises and go by many names such as yahoo-yahoo, cyber-crime, internet fraud, online crime, e-crime.

Here are a few facts about online scammers:

1. They are very patient strategically looking for a perfect time to strike.

2. Older women are usually the ‘chief target’ for scammers.

3. These scammers are usually too quick in trying to convince you about his or her identity backing it up with fake ‘proof’

4. In Nigeria, scammers who are usually referred to as ‘Yahoo boys’, make use of voodoo or traditional powers called ‘Yahoo Plus’ or ‘Yahoo Plus Plus’.

5. The most common type of ‘Yahoo Plus’ or ‘Yahoo Plus Plus’ is ‘do as I say’ which means you’ll be manipulated to give in to their demands, and only come to your senses to realize the errors after you’ve been defrauded.

6. Everyone is potential target for scammers and they are getting increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to get your money.

7. Examples of the scam used by internet fraudsters are; Job offer scams, lottery scams, beneficiary scams, online dating scams, charity fraud scams e.t.c.

So to avoid being scammed by these fraudsters via the aforementioned means above, here are few tips to eliminate the risk:

1. Spot/detect imposter – Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust; a family member or a company you do business with. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request.

2. Be ‘red alert’ to the fact that scams exist – When dealing with uninvited contacts from people or businesses, whether it’s over the phone/mail/social networking site, always consider the possibility that the approach may be a scam.

3. Know who you’re dealing with – If you’ve only ever met someone online or are unsure of the legitimacy of a business, take some time to do a bit more research. If a message or email comes from a friend and it seems unusual or out of character for them, contact your friend directly.

4. Do not open suspicious texts, pop-up windows or click on links – Be careful not to click on spammed links which could lead to compromising your personal details.

5. Keep your personal details secure – It is necessary to advice that you keep your passwords and pin numbers secured. Be very careful about how much personal information you share on social media sites.

6. Review your privacy settings on social media – If you use social networking sites, such as Facebook, be careful who you connect with and learn how to use your privacy and security settings to ensure you stay safe.

7. Be extremely cautious when dealing with anyone you’ve met online – Scammers use dating websites, social media, and many other sites to reach potential targets. They can quickly feel like a friend or even a romantic partner, but that is part of the tactics to get you to trust them.

8. Don’t be pressured to act immediately – Scammers typically try to make you think there’s a limited time offer. They want to push you into action before you have time to think, it’s never a good idea to make an important decision quickly.

9. Fake social media profiles – Some scammers create fake profiles and send you a friend request or message. If you respond, they then send you offers to make quick money or invest, or ask for money to help them with trouble they are having. They could also gain access to your personal information and steal your identity.

10. Text Message To Update Your Bank Verification Number – If you get a text message on your cell phone from your bank saying “there’s been a problem with your bank verification number (BVN), and you need to call right away with some account information”, the truth is your supposed “bank” is a scammer hoping you will reveal your account information.

AAJ50:
The three cabinet-nominees not confirmed on Monday by the House of Assembly were victims of high-wired politics, The Nation can exclusively report.

A party source said the Assembly could not resist the pressure to deny them clearance, owing to the weight of allegations against them.

According to the source, the politics of confirmation overwhelmed the Assembly, adding that “the matter was beyond the control of the lawmakers.”

“It is now evident that nominations and screening were not final. Post-screening hurdles may arise from familiar and strange quarters,” he stressed.

The source who, sympathised with the dropped nominees, said the governor may still represent them if they overcome their challenges.


Read Moere: https://thenationonlineng.net/exclusive-why-lagos-assembly-dropped-sanwo-olus-three-nominees/

Social Networking sites are like an addiction. We share so many details of our daily lives online, but we always seem to forget to be mindful of what we share about ourselves, our families, and our friends. There are some personal information that it is best not to share online.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, and Instagram are just some of the top networking sites that connect people around the world.

Sometimes we become too excited to share our thoughts, feelings, and important events. It has become a habit for us to share details about our daily lives.

The Internet is public, remember that! Once it is out into the Internet, it is out of your control and potentially can be used against you in the future.

Hence, be careful with what you share on social media because you never know when something could come back and haunt your life.

Here are 8 things that must be avoided:

* Unconfirmed news or Fake News – Imagine the trauma you can cause if the information is not verified. When the term “fake news” comes up, it is synonymous with creating or causing confusion which can lead to problems.

* Screenshots of personal conversations – The word itself says “private” If you do so, you might get good numbers of appreciations (Likes) for once. However, no one will value you, or would rather not share anything personal with you as they will have the feeling that you might share that conversation too.

* Your Home Address – Just avoid sharing your home address and personal phone number, unless your social profile is a very narrow one with few trustworthy people. If your profile is exactly the opposite and contains unknown people, refrain putting this at any cost. Don’t post where you live as you are making things easy for the bad guys. There’s a lot a criminal can do using just your address.

* Personal Phone Number(s) – While you may want your friends to be able to contact you, your real phone number can fall into the wrong hands through a social networking site.

* Your Financial Status – Whether you are a millionaire or middle class, don’t share your financial status with your online friends to avoid any negative exposure that might cause criminals to start haunting you.

* Explicit content – Never share such content even when you are out of your mind. The internet is huge, and things get heated up pretty quickly. The content shared on the internet never gets deleted. You might remove it from your social profile but however, you don’t know how many sites would have already captured and preserved it. Protect your online reputation

* Current Location – Many people don’t realize that when they post a status update or a tweet, they may also be revealing their current location through geo-tagging. Giving out your location information can be risky because it tells potential thieves that you are not at home.

* Anything you don’t want to be online FOREVER

When you put something on social media, you have to assume it’s out there permanently. In the age of screenshots, there is no ‘taking it back’, even if you’ve made a big mistake. Before you post anything remotely personal or sensitive, ask yourself, “Do I want this to be online forever?” If the answer is no, don’t hit the ‘post’ button!

Before you post anything remotely personal or sensitive, ask yourself, “Do I want this to be online forever?” If the answer is no, don’t hit the ‘post’ button!

A three-storey has reportedly collapsed in the Ososa area of Bariga, Lagos State.

The building was said to have collapsed around 9.30pm on Sunday.

Five persons were said to be rushed to a private hospital with no death recorded.

On 17 July, 2019, the U.S. Department of State presented an annual award for courageous acts in upholding religious freedom anywhere in the world.

Notably, one of the five people honored with the International Religious Freedom Award is Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, the Muslim religious leader who selflessly risked his own life to save Christians who would have likely been killed without his intervention.

Four religious leaders from Sudan, Iraq, Brazil, and Cyprus along with Abdullahi were also awarded the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award. The award, as the name suggests, is given to advocates of religious freedom.

Here are few facts about the heroic Imam Abubakar Abdullahi:

Imam Abdullahi was born in Bauchi State around 1936 and has lived in Nghar for 60 years.

After living in Nghar for 60 years, He’s leader of the Muslim community in a mosque that was built on land provided by the Christian community.

He was announced as one of the recipients of the 2019 US International Religious Freedom Award.

Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, who is Hausa and the Chief Imam of a mosque in Yelwan Gindi Akwati village, in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, alongside his assistant Umar Abdullahi, who is Fulani, saved the lives of over 200 persons when suspected bandits attacked communities in the LGA.
The reported attack took place on June 23, 2018, on Yelwan Gindi Akwati, Swei and Nghar villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, where scores of persons were killed by suspected bandits.
On the day of this incident, Imam Abdullahi was said to have just finished midday prayers, he and his congregation heard gunshots and went outside to see members of the town’s Christian community fleeing.

Instinctively, the Imam ushered 262 of them into the mosque and into his personal home next door.
Abubakar Abdullahi hid 262 Berom Christians in his mosque and in his house in June 2018, when herdsmen launched a bloody attack on 10 villages in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State.

According to news reports, the mosque is now the home and refuge of those hidden by the Imam.
Many of those the Muslim Cleric provided shelter for were from the Berom ethnic group which are predominantly Christians.

Many people have commended Abdullahi’s courage in the face of imminent danger and his history of outreach across religious divides as this shows his lifelong commitment to promoting interfaith understanding and peace.

However, reports gathered in 2016, suggested that Nigeria’s pastoral conflict was the cause of more deaths that year than Boko Haram. Violence between the nomadic herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria’s middle belt dates back to 2013. Hundreds of people have been killed in 2018, and the tit-for-tat violence has been ongoing for several years.

Had the imam not intervened, the death toll may have been much higher, as the armed men stormed into the mainly Muslim village in pursuit of those who had fled the mainly Christian village nearby.