Internet fraud popularly referred to as 419 or Yahoo Yahoo in Nigeria is generally motivated by the need to make money illegally through the internet no matter what law is broken. The money is then used to buy things like houses, cars, big phones and the likes so they can look good among their peers. But if I may ask; how can we call stealing other peoples hard earned money to acquire things for ourselves ‘Success’? Success has a positive lasting impact on society but illegal act like internet fraud only destroys the society. I will highlight three negative impact here;
- Lack of Vision
One of the skill of successful people is vision; the ability to see far beyond where they stand. If I may ask this question at this point; what kind of world will you like to create? Is it a peaceful one or a troubled one?
I am very sure that you do not look forward to creating a world where people kill their loved ones for ritual, hypnotize others and steal their hard earned money. Do you see a world that is built on crime; when no great country has been called great through the citizen’s illegal act like internet fraud? This is because acts like cyber crime are illegal and only thrives on stealing what others have acquired through legal hard work.
Engaging on internet fraud only destroys your ability to have a clear picture of the future. A future where it is possible for you to make the world a better place than the way you met it rather than destroy it through fraud.
- Destroys National Identity
Criminal act like this that is punishable by law will always paint a negative picture of a country like it has done to Nigeria over the past years. But I believe this generation can change all that by thinking and acting differently. This act only makes the nation a less desirable place to live in. Just imagine going to another country and people keep suspecting you like a criminal because you are a Nigerian. We all should be building the nation and not destroying it. A country is only seen and called success based on the persons who have made success out of themselves. You must know that internet fraud can’t be counted as success but as failure.
- Beyond Poverty
Research has shown that the more reason people involve in internet fraud is as a result of greed. This is because individuals see the little they have as not being enough. But the truth is that in pursuing their greedy appetite they end up destroying law and order in the society, prevent businesses from operating normally and increasing unemployment. This will generally lead to increased level of poverty and increased level of violence leading to loss of lives which I believe is much more than poverty.
