Nigerians, protect your bank details

I had just finished punching the last word of this week’s initial column and was getting set to dash home and enjoy the little that was left of my day when my device buzzed at exactly 6:37 pm. It was a text message from an alien MTN line, +2348106308524, not registered on my phone and it read thus: “Dear customer, Due to the BVN validation in compliance with CBN bank directives, your ATM card has been Deactivated call our help line on 08106308524 now.”

I called a colleague’s attention to the blatant scam and we laughed it off. I was just going to kill my laptop and head home but I had a rethink. Not all Nigerians would be able to recognise this as scam at the first glance. Some people may actually fall into this malodorous ditch and lose their hard earned money to some conniving idiots. So, I decided to play along just to get enough information to do today’s column, and so I called the number and recorded this conversation.  Note: the conversation is unedited; the grammatical errors are as spoken

Veracity: I got a text message from a number asking me to call because my card has been deactivated.

Scammer: we are sorry for that inconveniencies ma. Ma, is it about your BVN?

Veracity: Yes and I am surprised because my BVN is done. Besides, it wasn’t even specified which of my accounts has been deactivated because I have a number of accounts.

Scammer: Ma, this is the customer care assistance agency for Interswitch management. We are from the CBN. We are in charge of ATMs and network services. So all you have to do is answer some security questions that will help us reactivate your ATM card for free.

Veracity: Ok, what are the questions?

Scammer:  Have you done your BVN?

Veracity: Yes but which one of the banks specifically are you working for?

Scammer: First bank, UBA, ZENITH, GTB and Union Bank.

Veracity: Well, I don’t have an account with any of those banks

Scammer: Is they link your ATM card?

Veracity: You are saying you work for First Bank and the others but I don’t bank with any of those banks?

Scammer: Where did you have your account?

Veracity: I have accounts with new generation banks, …(not my real banks)

Scammer: Any bank you are use, we pass your message to other banks where they help you connect with your customer care in your bank.

Veracity: Ok, so what do you want me to do now?

Scammer: Just answer some security questions to make our works easier, so we know the card is for you or someone else.

Veracity: ok, go ahead.

Scammer: are you with your ATM card ma.

Veracity: Yes (but no, in reality)

Scammer: Can you call out the serial number, the long digit number that is in front of your ATM card.

Veracity: What other information do you need asides the serial number, so I can get them all ready?

Scammer: Just call your serial number. We do it step by step, when you call your serial number; we log it in and forward it to your bank.

The charade ended right there because I got so infuriated and rained curses on the man on the other end who hung up and all other attempts to get him back on line were futile.

What a country! Whatever happened to making honest living through hard work? What happened to integrity and honesty? Why will the young people of today do just about anything to drive luxury cars and own super smart phones? It beats my imagination but while I am struggling to unravel that conundrum, certain organisations directly linked to this story must try to mitigate if not completely eradicate such occurrences from the nation by being the watchdogs. I must call the attention of security organisations most especially the police, the EFCC, telecommunications outlets, specifically MTN in this case, and banks nationwide.

While the telecommunications companies work with the security agencies by providing details of all registered phone line users, the banks must keep drumming it into the grey matters of customers never to share their bank details with anyone to avoid stories that touch. Perhaps, messages like this are becoming more rampant because of the pain caused by this recession, but is that reason for people to seek wealth through such devious means?

The onus lies therefore on every Nigerian to be watchful, careful and never divulge important personal banking details to anybody. As for this recession, there is nothing under the sun which has a beginning that has no end!