By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued an urgent public warning to all citizens regarding a new wave of cybercrime targeting mobile phone users. In a notice released by its Cyber Crime Department, the anti-graft agency cautioned that fraudsters are exploiting the recent rollout of 5G services to defraud unsuspecting victims.
According to the EFCC, scammers are calling individuals under the guise of updating their SIM cards from 4G to 5G. During these calls, the criminals request a One-Time Password (OTP) from the victim, claiming it is necessary for the “update.”
The Commission emphasised that this is a fraudulent ploy, stating: “PLEASE, DO NOT provide the OTP sent to you.” The EFCC explained that once a victim shares the OTP, the miscreants can immediately gain access to their bank accounts and transfer all available funds to their own accounts.
The agency reiterated that while the commencement of 5G services is a known fact, citizens should remain vigilant and treat any unsolicited request for personal verification codes with extreme suspicion.
The EFCC has urged the public to share this information widely to prevent others from falling victim to the scam. The notice specifically warns, “please don’t tell if any stranger asks for OTP.”
As digital banking expands, law enforcement continues to advise citizens that legitimate service providers will never ask for sensitive security codes over the phone. Anyone who receives such a call is encouraged to ignore the request and report the incident to the authorities.
