Data commission warns Nigerians against malicious electronic messages

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a warning to Nigerians against malicious electronic messages claiming recipients have violated traffic rules or committed related offenses. These messages aim to instill fear and urgency, encouraging recipients to click on links, disclose personal information, or follow harmful instructions.

The warning, posted on the NDPC's X handle on Friday, states that such communications were previously conducted via phishing emails but can now occur through various electronic channels. The NDPC advises the public not to click on or follow any instructions in messages that cannot be independently verified, urging them to carefully examine sender addresses, domain names, and links before taking any action.

The Commission also recommends independently verifying suspicious messages by contacting the purported organization or authority through a known and trusted contact method. If recipients are uncertain about a message's legitimacy, they should not click on or follow its instructions. The NDPC further advises reporting suspicious messages and attempts at impersonation to the Commission and the impersonated organization.

To enhance account security, the Commission recommends using strong, unique passwords, changing them promptly if compromised, and enabling multi-factor authentication wherever possible. The NDPC urges Nigerians not to let fear, urgency, or claims of official authority pressure them into clicking links or disclosing personal information, emphasizing that protection of personal data is a shared responsibility.