Still on Scam Messages...

These scammers have refused to give up! After my previous post, I have received tons of messages from the scammers. I have even heard of stories of some unfortunate "victims".

They go under the cover of the Central Bank and any other commercial bank. They are now coming under the cover of "Guaranty Trust Bank Plc." I am beginning to get worried o! The following messages below were sent to my email some days ago:

Dear Valued Guaranty Trust Bank Customer,
Guaranty Trust Bank Internet Banking,is hereby announcing the New 2009 Security Upgrade.

We've upgraded our new SSL servers to serve our customers for a better and secure banking service,against any fraudulent activities.Due to this recent upgrade, you are requested to provide your account information.

For secure transaction also include your Transaction Id; password by following the reference below
http://atmcardupgrade2009.justfree.com/GtbAccount.html

Regards,
Guaranty Trust Bank Customers Service.
Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.
   ------------------------

Dear ATM card Holder,

Because of high rate of fraud, Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) has decided to put extra security to all ATM card to secure you and your money while you use the ATM card for WD. This measure will include an Email/SMS verification code which shall be sending to your Mobile Number or Email addresses anytime you used ATM card.

Verification codes will be sent. The new ATM card Verification codes will ensure you to have access and use of your ATM card. Kindly assist us by filling the individual customer form, the form will be made available by clicking on
http://http://www.cenbank.org/new/verification/code.html

Failure to Upgrade your ATM card will result in ATM Machine rejecting your ATM Card, which means you will no longer be able to use your ATM Cards with any ATM machine or ATM card) be notified that all ATM card must be upgrade on or Before November 30, 2009. After verification and upgrading of your ATM card a 3 digit code will be sent to you within 1 days either through phone or via email signifying that your ATM card has successfully been upgraded.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this important message.

WARM REGARDS
Central Bank of Nigeria
Address: Zaria Street Garki Abuja
Nigeria.

Unsuspecting victims would fall for these scams o! Why?! I thank God that I know better! But my problem is how to ensure that people are "educated" on steps to avoid falling victims to these scams/scammers? How can these scams be stopped?!

The other day an elderly man went to an ATM to withdraw some cash. He had some problem with the machine and so he sought the help of a young boy. The boy inserted the card, asked for the PIN and after sometime, he removed the ATM and told the man that he was told to go inside the Bank. The boy asked the elderly man to wait for him by the machine and then, he went into the banking hall.

Mr. Elderly Man waited for almost thirty minutes for Mr. Young Boy to come out from the Bank. Mr. Elderly Man, went into the Banking hall in search of Mr. Young Boy. Mr. Young Boy was NOT in the Banking Hall! After all said and done, Mr. Elderly Man later discovered that his account had been cleared! His hard earned money was no longer in his account!

Yes! Mr. Elderly Man had been scammed by Mr. Young Boy.

That is just one out of many scam stories. When I heard the story, I just felt pity for Mr. Elderly

PLEASE DO NOT REVEAL YOUR PIN TO ANYONE!

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOUR ATM CARD TO ANYONE!

PLEASE DO NOT FILL ANY FORM ONLINE TO UPGRADE YOUR ATM!

PLEASE DO NOT USE AN ATM IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE TECHNIQUES!

NO BANK/BANK OFFICER HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW YOUR PIN!

Thank God for my life!

This is a day of JOY!
This is a day of PEACE!
This is a day of PEACE!
This is a day of LOVE!

Yes! Today is my BIRTHDAY!

I thank God Almighty, for all the love!

For all the good will messages I received, I say thank you!

Scam Messages (1)

A scam is a "dishonest scheme". It follows therefore that a scammer is a person who performs dishonest schemes.

It is not news that there are scammers every where and everyday they (scammers) come up with new "schemes". For the past 7-8 months I have been receiving emails from a group of scammers posing to be "Interswitch" officials. In Nigeria, Interswitch is the premier transaction switching platform. When the word "Interswitch" is mentioned, the first thing that will come to a lay man's mind is ATM cards.

One of such mails read was notifying their "valued customers" that their services are currently being upgraded to a more secured system. In that same mail, the reader is expected to click on a link to register all debit cards, X-change cards and ATM cards. The email further warned that only registered cards will work on the ATM machines.

At first I panicked. But when I remembered that I do not have a functional ATM card at that time, I just ignored the message by deleting it immediately. By the next day when I opened my mail, I saw 2 more of such scam messages. Are people this desperate? Na wa o! Anyway, this time around I took my time reading through the message, thinking it could be true after all. I put my cursor on the link and a very different web address was displayed on my tool bar! It was then I confirmed it was a scam mail.

Some days later, while I was discussing the issue with some friends, I discovered that some people have actually fallen prey to this bait and their accounts were "cleaned" by these fraudsters! But come to think of it, why would anyone reveal his/her PIN to anyone??!!

Although these mails go directly to my bulk mail, some still filter into my inbox. I even received one purportedly sent from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Here are some of the recent scam mails I have received:

Message 1:

Dear value customer,


You have received 1 new message waiting in your inbox folder.


click here to read


PS: To switch off email notifications of new messages, go to 'My Account' after you've logged in.


Regards


Message Depertment.


INTERSWITCH LIMITED.

Message 2:

Dear value customer,


We regret to inform you that access to your ATM CARD "POWERED BY INTERSWITCH"


has been temporarily limited.


To restore your account please click the link below and provide us with the required information:


click here to restore your account


PS: Your account will be restore in the next 48hrs.


Regards


Online Services.


INTERSWITCH NIGERIA LIMITED.

Message 3:

Verify Your ATM Account Statement Now..
Mon, October 19, 2009 7:09:20 AM
From: Central Bank Of Nigeria


Dear ATM Card User,


This is to hereby notify you of the recent Central Bank of Nigeria Directive to all banks to switch to the new and secured chip ATM cards.


With this directive,all old ATM cards shall be inactivated. With the new Cards,there shall be no more transaction charges when you use your ATM cards and it is more secured.go to the website below to register for your new card;


http://atmcardupdate2009.4t.com/online/cbn.html


You are getting this mail because you have not updated.


REGARDS


Mr.Tony Ede
Assistant Director,
LAGOS OFFICE
Office Address:Tinubu Square,Lagos
Postal Address:P.M.B. 12194,Lagos.
Fax: +234(1)882 617

So I guess since I did not "update", by clicking the link, the messages will not stop. The most recent is this one:

Please note that Your Interswitch ATM Card is about to expire
Please note that Your Interswitch ATM Card is about to expire.
In order for it to remain active, please Use the button below to
Activate and get Unlimited Access on your ATM Card.
click here to re-activate your account


PS: Your account will be re-activate in the next 48hrs.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notice that the messages are laced with gramatical errors. This show how "literate" the scammers are Also, when I put my cursor on the links, different web addresses are displayed. Some of the links have the following addresses:

"tanway.cz/components/login.html"; "tatarmoscow.ru/html/images/forum/login.html"; "ussonline.free.fr/uss/administrator/components/com_remository/login.html".

Now, note that the above addresses have no link to the real interswitch web address which is "interswitchng.com".

Interestingly, Interswitch has denied ever sending any of such messages. The caveat is found on the real interswitch website.

Some banks have also published and circulated several warnings, advising that no one should disclose his/her PIN to anyone. For instance, I received a mail that read thus:

Dear Friends,


We have been alerted to a fraudulent email purporting to originate from Central Bank of Nigeria and advising customers to log on to the following website http://onlinecbnservice09.t35.com/CBN-OnlineService.html to download individual forms that must be completed to upgrade their ATM cards to the new ATM machine code including your mobile number and email address where verification codes will be sent.


Please note: On no account should you visit any website in order to upgrade your ATM card based on an email purporting to either represent Interswitch, the bank or Central Bank of Nigeria . Such an act would immediately compromise your ATM card and render your account vulnerable to fraudulent withdrawals.


The claim that failure to upgrade your ATM card will render the card unusable is totally untrue and is merely a way of luring you to divulge your ATM card details.


If you have already responded to such fraudulent email, immediately notify your relationship manager or call CIC on (01 – 2800822, 01-2644754- 59, 08035606000, & 08025606000) to disable your card to prevent fraudulent withdrawals from your accounts until such a time that you can safely change your PIN.


Forwarding this alert to friends and family members would also help inform them and combat this fraud.


Thank you.


IT Risk Management

I can not asertain the authenticity of the telephone numbers, since I have not had cause to call them. However, my advise to all is this: DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR PIN TO ANYONE!

Apapa-Oshodi Express Way again!

Hmmmm!

When will the Federal Government do something about the bad roads in Lagos State? This thing is getting very embarrassing! Haba!

I spent four unproductive hours on the Apapa-Oshodi Express Way this morning. The reason? It rained and because of the bad state of the roads, there was so much flood on the road. I once called it river trinity, but I think I should rename it to "Apapa-Oshodi Ocean". The flooded road made it very difficult to drive smoothly.

In the process of driving carefully, the person driving this vehicle, found himself/herself in this condition

Pedestrians had to wade through the flood as well

After driving wading through the first part of the flood, this is what I saw.

The trailer in the above picture rammed into a pedestrian bridge and then a section of the bridge collapsed. As a result, the traffic was terrible.

These are the pictures from the second half.

I am looking forward to the day it will rain and the roads in Lagos will be flood free.

Related Links

Craters on the Road

River Trinity

Eko o ni Baje

A Nation at 49

Yesterday, 1 October 2009 was the 49th independence annivarsary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Nation. Happy INDEPENDENCE ANNIVESARY my dear Country.

My wish for this great Nation is to keep growing strong. I believe that Nigeria will survive all odds.

There so may issues I would have liked to write about, such as the eratic power supply, bad roads, miliants in the Niger Delta, strike by teachers and lecturers, strike by medical workers etc. Of all these, the one that tops my list is the unrest in the Niger Delta. The entire militancy episode had been a huge bone in the neck of all well-meaning Nigerians. For years, I have avoided visiting that part of the country. This is strange particularly for someone from that part of the country.

During the just concluded sittings of the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission in Rivers State, so many "things" were brought to the open. I was among the group of Nigerians, particularly the Niger Delta people who hoped that the findings of the Commission will bring lasting peace to the Niger Delta. Wishful thinking.

On Thursday, 25 June 2009, the Federal Government proclaimed amnesty for the Niger Delta militants. Simply put, amnesty is a pardon for government offenders. The condition attached to this was that the militants would "willingly" give up possession of all illegal arms in their possession. Not so long after the amnesty programe began, some "militants" surrendered their arms and then they were rehabilitated. They even had the opportunity to get some pocket money! Anyway, I have been watching the whole process keenly. When the word militant is mentioned their are some names/groups that pop up in my head. Names like Ateke Tom, Tompolo, Boyloaf and groups like MEND. So far, Boyloaf laid down his arms some weeks ago and yesterday, Ateke Tom laid down his arms.

All I am praying for right now is for a lasting peace in the Niger Delta. I am also praying that the education sector would get the needed attention it deserves.

Happy Independence Celebration!
Long Live Nigeria!
Long Live my fatherland!

It is well with NIGERIA in Jesus name.

Gist

Sometime ago, I was informed that there was in circulation, contaminated beans. Immediately, I ensured that the proteinous legume was not included in any meal I eat or prepare! That means no more "moi-moi", no more "akara".

Just as I was adjusting to a non-beans diet, I received a text from a friend of mine. The text reads thus:                    

"Pls avoid eating apple for now.

        News said there are so many people

        in d hospital now. Pls pass it on."

All I could say was "very soon there will be nothing left for us to eat". As if to buttress this "fact", I received an email that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned that nobody should eat apples for sometime. This really got me worried because I love apples, afterall, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away".

Well the good news here is that there is a press release from NAFDAC stating that they never issued any alert warning the public against eating apples! In a statement by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, NAFDAC promised to launch a full-scale investigation into the matter. Please read full story here.

OTHER GISTS

In another story published in the Vanguard newspaper recently, a couple were accused of "plucking" out the eyes of another man because he refused to move out of the flat. This, I call "man inhumanity to man". For more on this, click here.

In another strange but true story, I read about a 61 years old American woman, Penelope Sharon Jordan, who hid the body of her dead mother for almost 6 years! She did this to enable her collect her mother's pension! What was she thinking of? She is 61 years old! Read the full story here.

Which way Nigeria?

"I want to know. . . which way Nigeria?"

Yes. Which way Nigeria? That is a million naira question that has to be answered.

There are so many things that are infrastructurally ill and are in need of great over hauling!

It saddens my heart to read in the national newspapers of the ongoing national strike embarked upon by the University Lecturers. This strike has been on for several months. Infact it is a spill over of previous strikes! As if that is not enough, Teachers in the primary and secondary schools in Nigeria have also embarked on a strike! What is going on?

There is a popular saying that education is the bedrock of a nation. In otherwords, education is the foundation of a Nation. The foundation unpon which a Nation is built.

It is a known fact that a building with a bad foundation will fall. A building with a faulty foundation is bound to develop structural problems in future (that is if the building is ever completed).

Rather than take positive steps towards ensuring that the education sector does not collapse, the Federal Government are neglecting that sector and "ordering" that the striking lecturers/teachers call off their strike. Why not embrace dialogue and find a way out of this incessant strikes? People have argued and reasoned that the Federal Government is not perturbed about these strikes because the Ministers, members of the House of Assembly, Governors, Commissioners and other politicians do not have children schooling in Nigeria! I think I agree with that school of thought.

In a quick defense, the education minister, Mr. Sam Egwu, (who incidentally was a university lecturer before becoming a politician in the corridors of power) said its no big deal for Government officals to send their children abroad to earn a degree! That, I think is a very watery defence. These are the same people engaging in a project to "re-brand" Nigeria. I wonder, how can Nigeria be fully "re-branded" if certain fundamental issues are left unattended?

Sometime in August 2008, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), the registered body for Nigerian Teachers embarked on a strike that kept pupils in primary and secondary schools at home for sometime. The strike was suspended after the intevention of the Governors Forum with a promise that the enhanced Teachers Salary Scale (TSS) will be implemented on or before September 1, 2009. One year after, only 17 states have implemented the TSS. The other 19 states have not implemented the TSS and so the NUT have embarked on another strike!

Last Sunday, there was a World Cup qualifying football match between Nigeria and Tunisia. The match ended with a 2-2 draw. This draw, according to football analysts is not a good result because the chances of Nigeria going to the World Cup is very slim. But despite this 2-2 draw, the Federal Government, through the football governing body gave each player a match bonus of $10,000! What a waste of money!

Why can't the Federal Government encourage the Lecturers and Teachers the same way they are encouraging these football players who ironically did not show that they deserve that match bonus!