Against the backdrop of the alarm raised by Paradigm Initiative that some websites are selling Nigerians’ National Identification Number (NIN); Bank Verification Number (BVN);  International Passport, and other personal data of Nigerians, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has listed five websites allegedly harvesting Nigerians’ data fraudulently. 


The Commission in a statement issued on Saturday by its Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, said the websites engaging in the illegal harvest of data without its authority include: 


1) idfinder.com.ng,  

2) Verify.Ng/sign in,  

3) championtech.com.ng.  

4) trustyonline.com, and  

5) anyverify.com.


“NIMC urges the public to disregard any claims or services these websites offer and should not give their data as they are potentially fraudulent and data provided by the public on such websites are gathered and stored to build the data services they illegally provide,” it stated.  


 

The Commission further stated that Nigerians’ sensitive data have not been compromised as claimed by Paradigm Initiative, adding that it has taken measures to strengthen the NIN database further.


“At this moment, the Commission assures the public that the data of Nigerians has not been compromised, and the Commission has not authorized any website or entity to sell or misuse the National Identification Number (NIN) amongst all the identities stated in the report. 


“The public should know that the Commission has taken robust measures to safeguard the nation’s database from cyber threats- a secure, world-class, full-proof database is in place. The commission’s infrastructure meets the stringent ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standard, with annual recertification and strict compliance with the Nigerian Data Protection Law,” it said.  


NIMC urged  Nigerians to avoid giving their data to unauthorized and phishing sites as they pose the danger of data harvesting and comprise individual data.