The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has warned Nigerians against fraudulent electronic messages claiming that recipients have committed traffic offences or violated related regulations.
The commission said the messages were being used to frighten recipients and create a sense of urgency, with the aim of luring them into clicking malicious links, surrendering personal information or carrying out harmful instructions.
In an advisory signed by the Head of its Media Unit, Itunu Dosekun, and shared on its X handle on Friday, the NDPC said the scam messages were previously associated mainly with phishing emails but had evolved to reach people through different electronic channels.
The commission urged members of the public “not to click on or follow any instruction contained in a message that cannot be independently verified.”
It advised Nigerians to scrutinise the sender’s address, domain name and links contained in any message before taking action.
“Be absolutely sure,” the Commission said, warning that recipients should not click on links or comply with instructions if they could not establish that the message came from “a bona fide authority or organisation.”
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The NDPC further advised members of the public to verify suspicious communications independently by contacting the organisation or government authority named in the message through a telephone number, website or email address obtained from a trusted source.
“Do not use the contact details provided in the suspicious message,” it warned.
The commission also urged Nigerians to report suspicious communications and impersonation attempts to the NDPC as well as the organisation or authority being impersonated.
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On account protection, the commission advised members of the public to use strong and unique passwords for their various online accounts rather than using the same password across multiple platforms.
It further recommended changing passwords immediately where there is a suspicion that an account may have been compromised.
The NDPC also encouraged Nigerians to activate multi-factor authentication on services that provide the feature, noting that it offers “an additional layer of protection beyond your password.”
The commission warned that people should not allow messages designed to create fear or urgency, or those that appear to come from an official authority, to pressure them into clicking links or disclosing personal information.
“Stop, verify, protect, report,” the Commission said.
It added: “If you cannot independently verify a message, do not act on it,” stressing that safeguarding personal data is a shared responsibility.
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