Residents of Lagos state have raised alarm over the rising case of Point of Sale (PoS) fraud in the state as criminals continue to illegally access their funds.
The rampaging rate of PoS fraud across the state has raised concerns and doubts about the reliability of the PoS system of payment as few affected Lagosians narrated their ordeal using the system.
A victim of PoS fraud in Lagos state Omotayo wept when her bank account was exploited by fraudsters who emptied her account.
Narrating her ordeal, she said: “I had used my ATM card many times during the week of that incident. I couldn’t identify the particular point where the scam happened.
“I visited a PoS point to withdraw N5,000 and after the withdrawal, I kept my ATM card in the usual spot that is known only to me. When I received debit alerts from my bank, I felt it was a mistake but when I checked my account, N10,000 had been deducted from my balance of N111,000.
“This happened on a Saturday, so I couldn’t visit the bank to lodge a complaint. A few minutes later, I received another debit alert of N10,000 from my bank. ‘What is happening?’ I asked myself. Minutes later, I got another debit alert of N10,000. It continued until my account balance was N11,000.
“This time, with tears running down my cheeks, I hurried to a nearby POS point to withdraw the remaining N11,000 before I would withdraw, I received another debit alert of N10,000, leaving my account balance at N1,000. I wept. I cursed the scammers but then I had lost N110,000 to PoS fraudsters.”
Following the incessant case of PoS fraud in the state, the Lagos State Government (LASG) has declared its move to partner strategically with Mobile Money and Bank Agents in a bid to protect Lagosians from the rising incidence of fraud perpetrated through Point of Sale (PoS).