National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has warned Nigerians against a fraudulent online earning platform known as “CPM,” accusing its operators of using the agency’s name to extort unsuspecting subscribers.
NITDA
NITDA, in a public disclaimer issued on Monday, dissociated itself from the platform and described its activities as deceptive and fraudulent.
The statement, signed by the agency’s Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, Mrs Hadiza Umar, said the platform operators falsely claimed that NITDA was collaborating with them to resolve alleged technical and security issues affecting users’ investments.
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According to the agency, the operators allegedly informed subscribers that their system had been hacked and demanded additional payments from victims under the guise of facilitating recovery of trapped funds.
“NITDA wishes to categorically state that these claims are false and misleading,” the statement said.
“As a government agency and Nigeria’s Information Technology regulator, NITDA does not request or collect money from citizens to provide incident response support, recover funds, or assist private entities in resolving cybersecurity incidents.”
The agency described the operation as a classic “double-extortion” scheme often used by cyber fraudsters to exploit victims who are desperate to recover lost investments.
NITDA advised members of the public to immediately stop all financial dealings with the platform and avoid making further payments to individuals or groups claiming to act on behalf of the agency.
The agency also urged Nigerians to exercise caution when dealing with online investment and trading platforms promising unusually high returns.
It warned citizens against paying so-called “activation” or “recovery” fees in attempts to reclaim previous losses.
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NITDA further advised the public to verify claims of government involvement only through official channels and avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information with unverified entities.
The agency encouraged Nigerians to report suspicious online platforms and cyber-related fraud to relevant law enforcement authorities.
Mrs Umar reiterated NITDA’s commitment to promoting cybersecurity awareness and protecting citizens from cyber-enabled fraud and deceptive online schemes.
