…….Victim Warns Nigerians Against Sharing Hotspot with Strangers
A viral video has surfaced of a woman recounting how she fell victim to a sophisticated scam after trying to help an ATM operator by sharing her mobile hotspot. Her experience serves as a cautionary tale for Nigerians on the dangers of unknowingly exposing their financial security.
According to the woman, the incident occurred on a Friday she never expected would turn into a nightmare. She had withdrawn money for her cooperative contributions, intending to send ₦180,000 to her daughter in school. However, upon arriving home, she was shocked to receive a debit alert indicating the money had vanished from her account.
She recalled that on her way home, she had stopped to withdraw cash from a roadside ATM operator. When the operator’s machine failed to process her card, he requested to connect to her mobile hotspot, claiming he needed internet access to buy data for his device. Out of kindness, she obliged.
Unaware of the potential risks, she completed her withdrawal and went home, only to discover that her bank account had been drained. In a desperate bid to understand what had happened, she visited Airtel’s customer service and her bank, both of which asked if she had recently shared her hotspot with anyone. It was at this moment she realized her mistake.
Now left without her funds and with her Airtel line blocked as a precaution, she is warning the public against sharing mobile internet access with strangers. She emphasized that her intention in sharing her story is not to seek financial help but to create awareness about this rising form of cyber fraud.
Nigerians are advised to be extra cautious and avoid granting internet access to unknown individuals, as scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their tactics.
The Woman below
