Security expert warns Ugandans not to share passwords, national IDs in registration

As Uganda makes strides to move to a cashless economy, cases of cyber crimes are skyrocketing on a daily basis.

Cyber security experts have cautioned people to stop  exposing their bank and mobile credentials to a third party.

A senior cyber security expert at Milma Technologies Emmanuel Chagara attributes the increasing cases of cyber crime to to priorities of cyber cases arguing that the police deals with a backlog that tasks alot of time which later then yields no results.

According to the 2022 annual crime report, Police registered 286 cases of cyber financial crimes. This is a spike from the 256 cases of the previous year.  

Police also notes that cyber crimes led to a loss of shillings  19,209,798,000 in 2022, out of which only  shs. 16,790,000 was recovered and the recovery rate is less than 1 %.

Cyber security expert Emmanuel Chagara attributes the increase to members of the public continuing to share their mobile phone and bank credentials with people claiming they have come to provide help.

"Police under its department of Criminal Investigative Department prioritises a lot of cases which later the investigation does not yield any results and the person defrauded is not helped to recover their money", Chagara said.

Chagara advises,  "Always avoid sharing your national IDs with people because when you help that person to register and that simcard is engaged in any financial fraud activity, you will be charged because the sim card is registered in your name.” 

He says that while the process maybe long, victims of cyber crime can receive justice and encourages them to follow the advice of security authorities.