Telecom
Clear and Present Danger of Account Takeover Fraud
Roberto Valerio, founder of RISK IDENT, Europe’s leading provider of new intelligent anti-fraud software has alerted telecom firms to the nature of fraud in telecommunications industry.
Valerio, touted as one of the foremost experts on the rise of AI in combating fraud, said that the telecommunications sector is one of the hardest hit industries by the account takeover fraud sweeping the globe.
In account takeover fraud, criminals harvest credentials from data breaches and then test them on every website and mobile app imaginable.
A small subset of those credentials unlocks accounts because most consumers reuse passwords across multiple sites.
Criminals then tap those for different types of fraud from unauthorized bank transfers to illicit purchases.
Valerio, said that fraudsters are leaning heavily on telcoms for illegal gains, and both the companies and their customers are feeling the shock.
He said “but why is this industry such an attractive target, and what can telcoms bosses do to lessen the damage? Identity theft has reached what experts call “epidemic levels,” largely in part to the sharp increase of data breaches happening around the globe.
The U.S. credit bureau Equifax suffered a breach of its network security system last September, which compromised the personal info of 143 million consumers around the world.
And this came hot on the heels of 1,800 other security breaches that exposed 1.4 billion data records in just 2016 alone . That same year, the UK telecommunications company TalkTalk was fined £400,000 for a cyber attack that allowed for the personal details of 150,000 customers to be stolen by hackers.
While data breaches are scary in their own right, the real nightmare is what criminals do with customer information once they’ve stolen it.
“Fraudsters use this illegally obtained info to create new accounts online and, even more damaging, use it to hijack existing accounts. The latter allows for criminals to hide behind the names and account history of good customers to somewhat easily make fraudulent purchases.
Why mobile telecoms are so vulnerable to ATO
Cifas reports that the identity fraud rate in the mobile telecoms sphere rose 60% in 2017 . And the reason the mobile telecoms industry has taken such a beating is based on the industry’s standard business model.
Fraudsters are particularly attracted to the phone contract model used in Europe, where customers immediately receive a high-value device that they eventually pay off monthly.
This system has lured in fraudsters, who’ve found that it’s relatively easy to use a victim’s stolen account details to access his or her account, collect the expensive phone, immediately sell off the device, and leave the victim with the bill and whatever other fallout that occurs.
Contract extensions are another door that fraudsters have weaseled through as they continue to target the telecommunications industry. As a way to reduce customer friction, many mobile service providers have eliminated complex re-sign processes. Though this presents convenience and ease to legitimate customers, it also presents a lucrative opportunity for hungry criminals.
Fraudsters have realized that they can use stolen data to hijack existing accounts and change a victim’s account details to ensure that the brand new device that comes along with an automatic extension is delivered to an address that they can access. This type of fraud is popular, so much so that there’s even a pricing scale for mobile contract account details on the Dark Web; the closer an account is to a renewal date, the more sellers can demand for the account information, as a big payoff is right around the corner.
Unfortunately, telecom firms don’t just experience outside threats. RISK IDENT’s fraud experts have found that it’s becoming more and more common for account takeover fraud to actually happen from within, carried out by telecommunications employees. In such cases, firms’ employees use their administrative access to take over customer accounts, create a bogus contract renewal and collect the phone for themselves. In some cases, resellers and company partners also have the ability to create fake renewals in customer accounts, which is helping drive the high ATO rates in the telecom industry.
What telecoms firms can do to lessen identity theft threats
The only surefire way to stop the flood of fraudsters who’ve targeted the telecommunications industry is to close the gaps presented by the mobile phone contract model. This entails predicting where customers may be most vulnerable to fraud and keeping that in mind when constructing a telecom firm’s fraud prevention strategy.
Over the past five years, RISK IDENT has identified several account and transaction characteristics that can assist telecoms firms in detecting account takeover fraud. These include:
Recent account changes: Nearly all confirmed cases of ATO fraud came with a password, address or e-mail address change within 10 days prior to the transaction.
Expensive purchases: The average order value in account takeover cases is four times higher than other orders. For example, fraudulent orders often include a request for a much more expensive device than the victim’s previous phone.
Customer age: Due to having significantly less technical expertise, older customers are much more likely to be victims of identity theft and account takeovers.
Paying attention to warning signs like these and incorporating systems that further predict account takeover vulnerability have the power to significantly reduce ATO fraud in the telecommunications industry. After all, the harder a companymakes it for criminals to commit fraud, the less likely it will be targeted.
To find out more about how RISK IDENT’s fraud prevention solutions reduce identity theft and ATO in the telecommunications industry, visit: https://riskident.com/en/.
MENXTT TECH NG, a Lagos-based technology company, has launched an initiative to make quality Dell laptops more affordable for Nigerians through flexible payment plans and extended warranty support.
The company said the initiative was aimed at helping students, entrepreneurs, professionals and small businesses acquire reliable computing devices despite rising technology costs.
According to the company, customers can now purchase premium pre-owned Dell Latitude, Dell Precision and Dell Inspiron laptops at competitive prices, with selected models available under staggered payment arrangements.
The laptops, it said, are designed to meet the needs of users ranging from students and office workers to architects, engineers, software developers, graphic designers and video editors.
Speaking on the initiative, the Co-Founder of MENXTT TECH NG, Mr Anthony Emeka Nwosu, said access to quality technology should not be limited by financial constraints.
“A laptop is no longer a luxury; it is an essential tool for education, business and career development.
“Unfortunately, many people are forced to settle for unreliable devices because of the high cost of new laptops.
“At MENXTT TECH NG, we want to bridge that gap by providing durable Dell business laptops at affordable prices, backed by a full one-year warranty and flexible payment plans.
“We want every student, entrepreneur, freelancer and business owner to have access to technology that helps them succeed,” he said.
Nwosu explained that every laptop undergoes comprehensive testing before delivery and comes with a one-year warranty, an original charger, a complimentary laptop bag, Windows 11 operating system and Microsoft Office Suite pre-installed.
He added that the company, an authorised Bitdefender Antivirus reseller in Nigeria, also installs genuine Bitdefender security software on every system to protect customers against cyber threats.
According to him, customers requiring additional productivity tools can also have licensed Foxit PDF software installed on their devices.
Nwosu said the flexible payment option was introduced in response to prevailing economic realities, enabling customers to spread payments over an agreed period.
He noted that the arrangement would make it easier for students, startups and growing businesses to acquire quality computers without placing excessive pressure on their finances.
Beyond laptop sales, the company provides information technology consultancy, computer repairs, software licensing, cybersecurity solutions and digital transformation services to organisations across Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital economy by making dependable computing devices and enterprise technology solutions more accessible to individuals and businesses.
According to him, the initiative reflects MENXTT TECH NG’s vision of combining affordability, quality products and professional after-sales support to help more Nigerians participate in the country’s expanding digital ecosystem. (NAN)
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, academia and technology professionals to accelerate digital innovation and drive inclusive economic growth in Nigeria.
Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director, Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, representing the Director General of NITDA, delivers a goodwill message at the 20th International Conference on Technology and Computing (RISE 2026) in Jos, reaffirming the Agency’s commitment to fostering digital innovation, strategic collaboration, and a technology-driven future for Nigeria.
The agency made the call at the 20th Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) International Conference 2026, held in Jos, Plateau State, where stakeholders examined strategies for leveraging emerging technologies to strengthen national development.
Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, the agency’s Director of Stakeholders Management and Partnerships, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said Nigeria’s digital transformation would depend on sustained investment in innovation, digital skills, research and strategic partnerships.
According to him, collaboration across the public and private sectors is essential to translate emerging technologies into practical solutions capable of improving governance, creating jobs and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
Onumo said NITDA remained committed to implementing its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan through initiatives that promote digital literacy, research and development, innovation ecosystems, cyber sovereignty and emerging technologies.
He added that the agency was expanding opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs and startups through platforms designed to encourage collaboration, investment and technology-driven enterprise.
“We are transforming Digital Nigeria into the nation’s foremost innovation platform where policymakers, investors, startups, researchers and technology companies can collaborate to accelerate economic growth and digital transformation,” he said.
He urged innovators, startup founders and technology professionals to participate actively in the forthcoming Builders Summit by showcasing indigenous solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.
Declaring the conference open, the Governor of Plateau State, Mr Caleb Mutfwang, described digital technology as a critical driver of governance and economic development.
Mutfwang said his administration had adopted digital solutions to improve public service delivery, modernise government operations and enhance internally generated revenue.
He also identified technology as a key enabler for agricultural transformation, increased productivity and improved food security, urging participants to ensure that deliberations at the conference translate into practical outcomes for national development.
Earlier, the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Muhammad Sirajo, said the conference was organised to strengthen collaboration among policymakers, researchers, regulators, technology professionals and industry leaders.
Sirajo said the conference, with the theme “Harnessing Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies for Inclusive Growth and Economic Renaissance (RISE 2026),” focused on exploring how innovation could accelerate Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
He identified artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, cybersecurity and robotics as among the technologies shaping the future of economies across the world.
According to him, Nigeria’s youthful population and expanding digital ecosystem provide a strong foundation for building a globally competitive economy through sustained investment in digital infrastructure, innovation and skills development.
The conference attracted government officials, regulators, academics, development partners, technology professionals and private-sector stakeholders to deliberate on policies and innovations aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation and inclusive economic renaissance.
Telecom
Hon. Minister Dr. Kingsley T. Udeh and ASUS To Unveil First of a Kind Flagship Store in West Africa
In a landmark moment for Nigeria’s technology retail sector, the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh SAN, will on Monday, August 3rd, commission a landmark ASUS Flagship Store in partnership with Nigeria’s leading e-commerce group Konga. The state-of-the-art facility is widely regarded as the first initiative of its kind in West Africa.
The commissioning will witness the visit of senior executives from the world-renowned technology brand to Nigeria, including EMEA General Manager, Mr. Aaron Tsai, alongside other. One of the purposes of their visit is to reinforce the strategic partnership with Konga and solidify the collaboration between both organisations, further demonstrating ASUS’ commitment to the Nigerian market.
The event is expected to also bring together key stakeholders from government, the technology industry, business community, and the media for what promises to be a defining moment in the evolution of technology retail in the region.
The development comes as Konga continues to accelerate its strategic partnerships with some of the world’s leading technology brands.
For years, Nigerian consumers have demanded more than just access to genuine technology products. They have increasingly sought immersive experiences, expert guidance, after-sales support, and greater confidence when making technology investments. The next chapter in this journey appears to address many of these expectations in a bold and innovative way.
The forthcoming announcement is expected to bring together global innovation in a manner that reflects the changing realities of today’s technology consumer. It also reinforces the growing confidence that leading international technology companies continue to place in Nigeria as one of Africa’s most strategic digital markets.
Industry analysts note that partnerships of this nature are becoming increasingly important as consumers place greater emphasis on authenticity, hands-on product experiences, technical support, and trusted purchase channels. Beyond selling devices, the future of technology retail lies in building complete customer experiences.
As anticipation builds for Monday, one thing is certain: the ASUS-Konga partnership promises to set new standards for tech retail in West Africa, elevating customer experience and reinforcing Nigeria’s digital transformation narrative.
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