244 cyber crime complaints recorded in three years

244 complaints and denunciations relating to cybercrime have been registered at the Directorate of the Judicial Police between April 2011 and June 2014 in Cameroon.

This phenomenon which is ever growing, focuses on acts of scam related to blackmail, violence, fraud or attempted fraud, fraud in the credit card, identity theft, etc. most of the time, most victims get aware of the hoax very late.

According to Martial N., a business operator in Yaoundé, an individual presented himself as a customer and extracted two million from his account without him doubting nothing. "I received an email with my Bank logo and identity in my e-mail inbox." The e-mail in question asked me to provide my confidential data (credit card number, from my account) and I did it. A few days later, when I checked my account, it was empty, he said.

The main operating mode commonly used is the social networks according to the Director of the Judicial Police, the Divisional Commissioner, Jacques Dili.

The mail comes as a supposed heir in search of assistance for the transfer of funds to an account abroad or an opponent politician that seeks the help people to leave the country.

"There are also e-mails informing you that you have won a lottery you've never participated", explained Jacques Dili.

Still from police sources, most of the scammers are not prosecuted "simply because the victims complain late when the scammer has already succeeded in his deal and is disconnected from the Internet. It is therefore important to notify the Police when we are still in contact with the criminals," noted our source.

To prevent these attacks, Jacques Dili advised internet users to avoid giving in to the easy gains and surprising proposals. "Never to transmit confidential information about a bank account or other personal information to strangers," he added.