By Ayomide Otitoju
Wema Bank, Nigeria’s most innovative financial institution and the pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, marked International Fraud Awareness Week 2024 with a seminar focused on combating fraud and protecting customers’ financial interests. The event, held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at Wema Bank’s Head Office in Lagos, aligned with the global theme, “Share A Story, Stop A Scam,” aiming to raise awareness and share valuable insights on fraud prevention.
International Fraud Awareness Week, celebrated annually in the third week of November, seeks to highlight the growing threat of fraud and encourage proactive steps to mitigate its impact on individuals, businesses, and society. The 2024 theme emphasizes the importance of education, awareness, and sharing information to combat fraud effectively.
Wema Bank, known for its commitment to fraud prevention, has been a leader in educating and empowering customers to identify and combat fraudulent activities. Through its Anti-Fraud campaign, the bank has consistently raised awareness about fraud while taking decisive actions against fraudsters. In line with this effort, the bank hosted the seminar to discuss strategies for identifying, preventing, and addressing fraud.
Key stakeholders at the event included Oguzi Moses A., Assistant Commander of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Rypson Ugwuzor, Manager of Cybersecurity and Intelligent Automation at KPMG; legal expert Akin Adesomoju (SAN), Founder of Akin Adesomoju & Co.; Femi Akinola, Assistant Commissioner of Police at the Special Fraud Unit, Nigerian Police Force; and cybersecurity specialist Dr. Obadare Peter Adewale, Founder of Digital Encode Limited.
Wema Bank’s proactive stance on fraud includes both internal and external initiatives, such as disempowering fraudulent transactions and empowering customers with knowledge about emerging fraud tactics. Earlier this year, the bank disconnected seven FinTechs found guilty of fraud from its network. The bank continues to engage the public through its Anti-Fraud Campaign, providing valuable resources for fraud prevention.
