INCREASING CASES of GLOBAL INTERNET FRAUD: WHY and the WAY OUT

There is no gainsaying that the advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has ushered in many benefits to nations and humanity. One of the discoveries of Information and Telecommunication Technology that has revolutionized the society is the 'Internet. With the 'Internet', individuals can now sit by a Computer and manipulate the mouse to search for valuable information from different parts of the world. Much as there are many benefits that are accruable to internet usage, there is the latest problem of 'frauds' associating with it, which without doubt are undermining its dividends and spreading like 'harmattan fire' in the society.

What exactly can one regard as 'internet fraud'? From its components: Internet and Fraud, Internet fraud is simply the fraud associating with internet. For better understanding by non-professional, it is the use of internet by individual in a deceitful and dubious manner.

There are various kinds of internet fraud, which include:

- piracy of another individual's password in order to open his / her mailbox to gather confidential information;

- sending fake job advertisement (s) requesting for application fee from individuals;

- sending fake lotto or lottery winning notices to individuals' mail boxes demanding for response by supplying vital information to make such fraudsters have access to the bank account of the individuals;

- transacting business with fake credit card information;

- designing and advertising dubious money making websites on the internet requesting for deposit of money for the purpose of attracting unimaginable interest;

- plagiarizing the information, article and books on the internet;

- using software to spy other individuals' business transactions on the internet so as t to frustrate and duplicate such transactions;

- impersonating individual with the purpose of collecting his / her monetary benefits;

- putting up fake college / school / institute on the internet requeting for registration and payment of fees;

- sending out fake love advances to the opposite sex with the aim of establishing a dubious relationship with him / her;

- sending powerful software to introduce virus into the system at another locations so as to destroy such system and spy the contents;

- sending out advertisement (s) requesting for the provision of some services in exchange for money; and

- sending out invitation (s) requesting for financial assistance.

It is pertinent to pause and ask oneself the question 'Why the increasing cases of internet fraud in the society nowadays? From personal observations, several factors are influencing the menace. These include among others, the issue of poverty of households and individuals in the society; unemployment of youths; collapse of the value system of the society and the 'get rich quick' syndrome among youths; rate of development of Information and Telecommunication Technology (ICT) and lack of parental care.

It is also pertinent to note that if the dividends of internet usage will not be lost within the next few years, there is urgent need for serious attention to be paid to its control. Although, the ICT professionals are not resting regarding how to arrest this menace, the following measures are suggested in this regard:

- Internet user should be extremely careful before acting on any invitation on the internet;

- Internet user should ensure that the mailbox and opened websites are closed before departure from public cybercafe;

- there should be thorough monitoring of cybercafes so as to detect those encouraging such frauds;

- those caught in the act should be punished by government to serve as detterent to others;

- there is need for formal registration of all internet users in each country with a particular identification number given to each individual, which can be used to track fraudulent cases in future;

- those that undergo business transactions on the internet should demand for passport photograph of individual before acceptance of payment through credit card.