The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has uncovered through social listening and environmental monitoring that certain unidentified individuals are disseminating a fake letter claiming to be from the NCC and entitled "Certificate of Site Ownership" for clearance of "Mast Transmission Antenna."
The fake letter stated that the Commission had examined a specific location for "9-Mobile Telecommunications Company G.P.R.S." The letter's naive receiver was given restrictions to satisfy in order for the certificate to be valid and usable by "10th November 2022."
“It is possible that several variants of the fraudulent letter may have been sent to individuals, and organisations, with the intent to defraud, using the name of the Commission.
“The NCC, therefore, wishes to dissociate itself from the import, and content of this letter, or similar ones, which may have been sent out by the faceless individuals.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the design and format of the forged letterhead bear no similarity with those of the Commission.’’
The department quoted in the fraudulent letter is non-existent at the Commission. The signatory to the letter is also not known to the Commission.
“The public is hereby advised to note that telecommunications services are offered by companies which are issued licences by the Commission. The Commission also maintains a register of all telecommunications companies in the country.
Suffice it to say, that, the process of initiating, or exchanging correspondence between the Commission, and the licensees, has definite and distinct standards and style,” NCC said.
It said the Commission has very open and credible channels of communication, through which all information about it, and its activities, including matters relating to correspondence on any subject matter, can be leveraged for verification.
While the Commission frowns at the nefarious activities of these fraudsters, telecom stakeholders, the Nigerian public, and corporate organizations, are advised to be wary of the wiles of many fraudsters prowling in the streets with all kinds of illegitimate documents, to avoid being victims of their nefarious activities.