Internet Use and Abuse (E-fraud) Part 2

As discussed in part 1 on some tips to avoid online baits which can in turn help curb internet fraud in Nigeria, this is with a view to recommending some measures to be adopted in dealing with the situation.

To address internet fraud, Nigeria has to take a look at what leads young men into a world of crime as it cannot be solved by occasionally arresting some online scammers but by addressing the major issues causing this menace such as greed, high rate of unemployment and lack of job for the teaming youths which is a problem that has contributed to the growth of Internet fraud by addressing the unemployment rate in the country as there are not enough jobs to go around and with our alarming population growth, it is clear that we are not producing enough jobs to accommodate the millions of graduates produced annually. A young person who is unemployed and lives below the poverty line is likely to crime lifestyle. But with more productive jobs in hand for the Nigerian youths, many will not think about scamming people online or will desist from such acts if given the opportunity.

Another problem that has helped the growth of Internet fraud is high level of poverty with so much poverty in the land, one can see why many young people go into criminal activities to make ends meet. In the effort to meet a particluar kind of life, some Nigerians resort to illegal online activities, swindling people of the cash. Where there is such a high level of poverty, one will most likely resort to criminal activities. To reduce the rate of poverty the Nigerian government should improve the economy and make life easier for the populace so that it can witness a reduction in the rate of internet scams.

Corruption is also another problem has eaten deep into the moral fabric our society like a canker worm. With the corrupt businessmen and politicians going scot-free from the law, our society has expunged the value of hard work to worship excessive materialism, people did what they had to do to make money.

Also, the absence of financial regulation, government inability to adequately punish offenders among others are factors increasing the fraud business which remains a threat to national development. The government should be more decisive in punishing those who are involved in cyber-crime to serve as deterrent to others. Adequate jobs should be provided for the teaming army of unemployed Nigerian graduates to shift their attention from crime.

All these factors stated have turned most young Nigerians into internet fraud and to address this adequately, a holistic reorientation of our value system is needed, especially to those who have lost priorities and do not value hard work. Many Nigerian youths believe in get rich quick schemes and have an excessively materialistic mindset which needs to be corrected. With these kinds of mindsets, some Nigerians are not willing to take on jobs even if they were given the opportunity because they have seen get-rich-quick schemes promoted on the media. The government, through ministries and other non-governmental organizations, can start national reorientation programs to help teach young ones the importance and value of hard work.

James Nwachuya #EMBA28