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The National Cybersecurity Coordinating Centre has issued a strong public warning against mobile fraud and cybercrime, urging citizens to “stop, think and verify” before responding to suspicious calls, messages, links or requests for sensitive information.
National Cybersecurity Coordinator Mariama Yormah said the human element remains one of the biggest vulnerabilities in the fight against cybercrime, particularly as criminals increasingly manipulate victims into voluntarily handing over confidential information.
Speaking on cybersecurity awareness, Yormah warned that cybercriminals often impersonate relatives, friends, colleagues or service providers to trick people into disclosing authentication codes, passwords and other sensitive information.
She cited WhatsApp account takeovers as a common example, noting that criminals may call users and falsely claim that an authentication code has been sent to their phones before asking them to share it.
Yormah stressed that users should never disclose WhatsApp verification codes or two-step verification PINs to anyone, regardless of who is requesting them.
According to her, once such information is disclosed, criminals can take control of the victim’s account and potentially use it to defraud contacts or gain access to further information.
She advised victims whose WhatsApp accounts have been compromised to immediately contact WhatsApp and follow the official account-recovery process, which may involve re-registering the affected phone number and completing the required verification.
Yormah said public awareness remains central to preventing such incidents, noting that the National Cybersecurity Coordinating Centre has intensified awareness activities through radio programmes and other public education initiatives.
She disclosed that the institution will launch a Safe Financial Campaign this August to educate citizens about online and financial scams. About 30 volunteers have already been identified to support the campaign, with plans to take the awareness drive directly to communities, including marketplaces, churches, mosques and other public gathering places.
The campaign will also feature educational jingles broadcast across the districts, with the Centre working with radio stations and targeting at least two stations in each district to expand the reach of the campaign.
Yormah explained that the National Cybersecurity Coordinating Centre is designed to coordinate efforts across different sectors because cybercrime affects virtually every area of society, including national security, telecommunications and financial services.
She said the Centre recently engaged the ministry responsible for communications and telecommunications companies to examine existing measures against cybercrime and identify additional steps needed to protect citizens.
One concern identified during the engagement, she said, was the improper registration of some SIM cards.
Yormah noted that regulatory authorities, including NATCA, have an important role in ensuring compliance with SIM registration requirements. She said individuals or businesses involved in activating or selling improperly registered SIM cards could face significant penalties, including fines of up to Le25,000 and possible imprisonment, depending on the offence.
The National Cybersecurity Coordinator also highlighted the importance of collaboration with the Sierra Leone Police, particularly because police are often the first point of contact for victims of cybercrime.
She said the cybersecurity institution provides technical support to the police when required during investigations, while telecommunications companies can provide relevant subscriber information through established procedures to support investigations.
Yormah stressed that effective action against cybercrime requires cooperation among cybersecurity authorities, law enforcement agencies, telecommunications companies, regulators and other relevant institutions.
Turning specifically to personal protection, she urged citizens to independently verify any suspicious request before taking action.
“Stop, think and verify,” she said, advising people to exercise particular caution when someone contacts them unexpectedly and requests money, passwords, verification codes or other sensitive information.
She said individuals should not automatically trust a caller simply because the person claims to be a relative, friend, colleague or another known contact. Instead, they should independently verify the person’s identity before providing any information or taking action.
Yormah further encouraged WhatsApp users to activate the platform’s two-step verification feature through Settings, Account and Two-step verification, and create a unique six-digit PIN.
She cautioned users against choosing predictable PINs such as their phone numbers, dates of birth or those of family members.
She also recommended linking an email address to WhatsApp accounts as an additional layer of protection and a potential recovery option in the event of an attempted account takeover.
Yormah said free email services such as Gmail and Yahoo can be used by individuals who do not currently have an email address.
She maintained that while technology can provide important layers of protection, cybersecurity ultimately depends heavily on informed and responsible users.
Her central message to the public was clear: stop, think and verify before responding to suspicious requests, and never share verification codes or two-step verification PINs with anyone.
