Olabode Oruku, an internet marketing consultant has been
involved in the running of businesses online for years. He has encountered the
bad boys, popularly known as yahoo, yahoo or cyber-criminals in the course of
running his legitimate businesses.
Last week, Senior Correspondent, EMMANUEL UDOM, spoke with
Oruku on how to tackle suspected online fraudsters and scammers.
Fraudsters have invaded everywhere. What does this portend for the
image of Nigeria?
Yes, fraudsters have invaded everywhere, no place is safe any
longer. They have invaded the internet, our politics, our youths, civil
servants, banks and any aspect of our lives you can imagine. It’s an ill wind
that will blow nobody any good.
The Nigeria present image abroad is nothing to write home about.
All hands must be on deck to reverse the negative perception. Every Nigeria is
perceived to be fraudulent, which has led to lack of trust to attract expertise
and good investors that can help to grow our economy.
This perception of Nigerians has deprived our online entrepreneurs
from benefiting from some internet business opportunities that could have made
them rich and reflect positively on our economy in Nigeria
For instance, the major online merchant on the internet don’t
allow its platform to transfer money to Nigeria. That frustrated the
opportunity for Nigerians to partner with many global online companies.
How should the government and security agencies tackle
online scams and frauds?
The strategies to overcome online scams and fraud are for our
security agencies to receive mandatory training to handle cyber crimes. The
training should be consistent and updated regularly to meet up with the trends
in the cyber world.
Our legislators should establish cyber laws to punish offenders
with the motive to discourage them. For them to come up with laws that will
stand the text of time they need to set up a committee of global and local
expert in the industry to advice them.
Is there a link between youth unemployment criminalities?
As they say, Idleness is the beginning of all vices. It has been
observed that crime is high where the level of poverty is high.
A jobless person is naturally poor because he/she lacks the
financial means to get the basic needs to keep the body and soul together. This
has pushed many people to crime activities.
The reasons usually offered by most youths that are involved in
crime are unemployment.
How can our youths use the internet to explore creative ways
earning a decent living?
The government and private universities and other institutions can
help in that regard. They should establish a continuing educational course on
how to use the Web to build a successful online business.
This form of course offers proven e-commerce solution for all entrepreneur-minded
students, regardless of age or prior Web knowledge and experience.
There are many accredited institutions all over the world that are
already offering this course. Examples are University of Arizona, Tucson, The
Citadel Military College, Charleston, South Carolina, Gardner-Webb University,
North Carolina, University of Alaska, Graceland University, TAFE,
Australia, Dawson College, Montreal, Humber College, Toronto,
Ontario Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced
Learning, Canada, Polomar College, California.
Is our various laws on fraudulent activities adequate to
tackle this menace?
I don’t think the present laws are adequate to tackle the present
frauds in our society. Besides, it goes beyond enacting laws, our perception as
people to frauds and corruption must change.
It’s unfortunate the way our leaders and we the people
embrace corruption to the point that those affected don’t have shame. Most of
the present leadership in the society is corrupt and we the followers endorsed
it by attitude to them.
It’s practically impossible for such leaders to enact or enforce
laws that will clean the society of frauds and corruption.
The first step is for we as people to make a resolution never to
embrace or vote for any person that has been found or perceived to be corrupt.
We should do everything possible to support and vote for people with integrity.
In short, people have become wealthy through corruption should no longer be celebrated
again.
Do you think the police, EFCC, ICPC and other government
security doing enough to tackle insecurity in Nigeria?
No,, the performances of these agencies have regrettably fallen
below expectations . Leaders of these government security agencies, who
were appointed to their various offices by politicians are being influenced and
manipulated by these same politicians.
The way to correct this problem is for the constitution to
be amended so that the appointment of heads of these agencies could be
recommended by tested and credible Nigerians with proven and transparent
integrity.
That is, competent persons of which one will be appointed by the
President for the position. The same steps should be taken to remove them from
office if there is need for it.
What is your advice to banks hit by scammers and
fraudsters?
For most of these frauds to succeed, there is usually staff(s)
working with the fraudsters, the banks should work on correcting the
lapses. Beside, these banks need to employ the services of proven
international experts that specialize in bank crime prevention and software
developers to consult for them.
Should corporate bodies like banks partner with credible
and recognized online experts to sort out the issues of online frauds?
Yes, that is important. But it should be online experts that
specialize in cyber crimes, not just any entrepreneur on the net.
Who is Olabode Oruku?
I am a family man with two boys. By profession, I am a marketing
consultant, and have proven records of training and rendering services that has
helped some medium and small size business owners to market their businesses
online and offline effectively.
I have been privilege at one time or the other to maintain
online marketing columns with some of our major newspapers and educating
Nigerians on running small businesses at seminars and radio programs such as
TalkBack. Thank you for the opportunity.
Source: www.dailyindependentng.com
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