Covid-19: NITDA alerts Nigerians on dangers of giving out personal information online

Aminat Aminu

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has called the attention of the general public, especially those in the cyber space, to the existence of fake websites in circulation, trying to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

Royalnews gathered that the Agency in its efforts at ensuring a safe and secure Nigerian cyberspace, said it Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) identified a number of websites using various phishing tricks to attract Internet users. One of such tricks is misinforming the public that Federal Government has approved the disbursement of funds under a fictitious vote called “Lockdown Funds”. It then requires the user to complete an online form with their personal information including bank details for the payment to be effected.

While NITDA is doing everything possible to shut down the websites identified as well as sanction those behind them, we call on the general public to disregard and report any such websites to the Agency for necessary action.

The Agency in an effort to checkmate cyber security threats and possible data breach under Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), therefore advised Internet users to observe the following:
not to give out their personal information to anyone online;
avoid clicking unknown links;
disregard offers requesting for their bank details; and
know what to do when they become victims of cybercrime.

The Agency calls on well-meaning Nigerians to intensify their efforts in supporting the Federal Government in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and also encouraged all to adhere strictly to the recommendations given by health experts, and follow updates from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and other relevant Agencies involved in the management of the psndemic.