THE internet fraud, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo is a social vice that is very common among youths today.
Going by history, the word ‘Yahoo’ is part of the name of a company known as ‘Yahoo Global Internet Brand and Services Provider based in Sunnyvale, California, and owned by Verizon Communications since 2017.
It was founded in 1994 by Jerry Yang and David Filo, graduate students at Stanford University in California. Yahoo! provides users with online utilities, information, and access to other websites. The site grew in popularity, it was renamed YAHOO!, an acronym for “Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle.”
However, the term ‘Yahoo Yahoo,’ started gaining popularity in the early 2000s, to refer to financially motivated young Nigerians boys conducting phishing scams. They are known as the ‘Yahoo Boys.’
Among these sets of youths, this act involves the use of deception to defraud/siphon money and assets from their victims, who majorly abroad via some weird online services and fraudulent softwares applications.
The people who engage in these internet frauds are mostly youths. Though male-dominated, some ladies have also mastered the act and they are very good at it, they are now ‘Yahoo girls.’
They see it as the easiest escape route from poverty to affluence, especially now that the economy is biting.
Internet fraud, also known as cybercrime among other crimes, is taking a toll on our country’s reputation and how it is perceived in the global scene. Nigeria has been ranked the fifth in a global report on sources of cybercrime activities.
Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, recently reeled out frightening figures on cybercrime in Nigeria. According to her, the country loses $250 billion annually to cybercrimes.
However, to curb internet fraud in Nigeria, all hands must be on deck. The parents, government, leaders, schools, and individuals all have obligations to fulfill. All and sundry must work hand in hand to curb this social menace that has eaten deep into the fabric of our nations.
Charity they say begins at home, I believe the bulk of the work lies in the hands of the parents/guardians. The family is the smallest unit of the society, so parents/guardians should raise and lead their wards in the right way, instilling the fear of God, moral principles/ethical standards and empathy in them.
Hence, Nigerian schools should hire competent guidance counselors both in high schools and tertiary institutions, even religious institutions so that they can be of help whenever students are going through tough times both in school and in their personal life. They can also provide godly counsels on money-making and how to make it in a legitimate way without soiling hands with evil.
An idle hand they say is the devil’s workshop, the government on its part should provide jobs for the youth to keep them busy, help alleviate poverty and cushion the effects of inflation that is ravaging the nation.
Nevertheless, let the youth in Nigeria cultivate and gravitate towards enduring character traits such as integrity, discipline and contentment, respect, diligence, honesty to mention just a few.
If all the parties and units involved play their parts and roles as they ought to Yahoo Yahoo will become a thing of the past in this nation.
- Motunrade Adegoke, Kwara State University (KWASU)
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