It is no longer a hidden fact that one of the most speedy ways of making fast cash by youths is internet fraud. The rate at which internet fraud has grown to its in our present society is becoming alarming and absurd.
What do we regard as fraud? Fraud is any act of unfair, undeserved and/or unlawful gain. Fraud is synonymous to deceit, trickery, cheating, e.t.c.
Internet fraud is rampant among the youths,especially in students environment. Research has it that there are different types of internet fraud, namely; 'yahoo yahoo', 'Lotto', 'wire wire', 'dating', etc. It is very unfortunate to see students on campus intimidating one other with cars and wears and even go to the extreme of parking their cars in the lot assigned to senior staffs.
This act has been fostered by the recent technological advancement, where every tom,dick and harry have access to smart phones, laptops, iPad, Tablets, iPhones, among others. These internet bandits no longer visit the cyber cafe as they all have these gadgets at their command and can easily negotiate with any "maga" in their room.
Nevertheless, there are lot of factors that have led to the growth of internet fraud in Nigeria, they include:
1.Background/Orientation.
As it is popularly said that; "If the foundation is faulty , what can the righteous ones do"? In a case whereby a child is being born into a house that everyone doesn't work but live in luxury due to the fact that they depend on the income they get from their illegal act, it is only a matter of time because when a child like that grows up, he will be inspired to tread in the path of his forebears.
2. Imitating the lifestyle of foreign celebrities.
Civilization is a threat to our existence. We youths of nowadays want to imitate the lifestyle of foreign celebrities, which unknown to them are living fake lives. The mirage display of the latest series of cars on social medias, television shows and the likes,has caused an unrest in the mind of the youths. They start taking them as role model and will also strive to emulate their doings. This has also propelled them into doing various inhumane and unlawful acts in order to acquire the desired cars.
3. Government inability to celebrate worthy students.
Outstanding students who have graduated with good CGPA are not given incentives. A guy once told me that if he could spend 4 years in school and still get out and remain jobless, he had rather skip school and get into business that can get him big money which some graduate won't even make in a year. This can be seen in the light when government don't celebrate student who are successful in their field,they would rather spend money on "The Most Beautiful Girl Beauty Pageant", all sort of talent hunt, which millions of Naira will be awarded to the winner,while a student with 9 A's will only be given newspapers recognition.
4. Peer Influence.
Youths tend to have influence on themselves. Once a boy sees that his friend is making money at his tender age, he will also want to try all means to make money just as his friend, within a twinkle of an eye, he will be schooled and tutored on how to make the money through these illegal means.
5. Poverty.
Poverty at times also make people to join this clique. A youth that is jobless and can't even feed himself not to talk of his siblings can be easily be lured into this illegal ways of making money. After few months of hustling;as they would call it,he would have saved up some money to buy a big car and rent a good apartment. A person like this will not want to leave the business because he feels he's getting good money and necessary recognition.
THE EFFECTS
1. Corruption.
The rapid growth of internet fraud in Nigeria has also contributed immensely to the high level of corruption in the country. The police already know these set of people involved in this illegal acts but due to the pittance they get from them, they violate their primary assignment of curbing illegality in the country. At times police don't even take these criminals to their station, they would rather find a cool spot or a bar to negotiate with them. This needs to be properly addressed if we are to eradicate cyber theft in Nigeria.
2. Fetish Lifestyle.
As research has made it known, no yahoo boy will hit big without being fetish; eating concoctions, having incisions, taking oaths, etc. Yahoo boys have become ritualist for the sake of making it faster than their mates, and this lifestyle also make them to be more dangerous in the society as they can perform any heinous act at all cost just to make it.
3. Untimely Death.
The quest for this fast money has also led to the untimely death of youths, both people that are involved and victims. Some have been reported to have gone insane. Youths now risk their lives for the sake money.Some of them even go to the extreme of entering convenant that will allow them to enjoy their money for some period of time.After the lapse of this period, their live will then become miserable
4. Stealing / Robbery
After things has started falling apart, client no more pay, online lovers are no more in love, these youth will start soughting for alternatives so that they can still continue to live in their luxury. After soughting for all means without getting none, they go into all sort of criminal act e.g stealing, robbery,pushing drugs,etc. And this has also contributed to the high crime rate in our society
5. Laziness
This "yahoo yahoo" of a thing has now make Youths to be lazy mentally as they are unable to think outside the box, some even find it difficult to discover who they are, what potentials they have been bestowed, all what they know is how to chat with their clients online,make transaction.
This has also been affecting our nation, as youth who suppose to think deeply on how to profer solutions for the country have now lost their senses.
SOLUTIONS
1. Vocational skills.
Government should endeavor to imbibe vocational skills in the school curriculum, and also organize vocational training in schools and in the communities for people to be able to empower themselves and not to be idle.
2. Creation of Jobs.
Creation of employment is one of the important mode with which the Government can successfully tackle the issue of internet fraud. If their are good work and nice pay for graduates, nobody will ever think of making money in an illegal way.
3. Entrepreneurship Scheme.
It will go along way if higher institutions teaches entrepreneurship skills in schools and also imbibe the spirit of entrepreneurship into students before graduating from school.
Government can also help in this scheme by providing loans to entrepreneurs for those who don't have enough capital to kick start their business.
4. Paying Salaries to unemployed graduates.
Government should also put unemployed graduates on payroll for them to earn little money till they finally gain employment .
5. Punishment.
Law enforcement agencies should be firm and strict with the punishment. I think the punishment for internet fraud should be 40years imprisonment max.
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