The NCSC explained that cybercriminals frequently take advantage of major news events to make fraudulent approaches appear legitimate, gain the confidence of unsuspecting individuals and pressure them into making rushed decisions.
The warning comes as Microsoft continues efforts to restore services affected by a widespread outage that disrupted several of its products, including Outlook and Teams.
According to the agency, scammers may exploit the disruption by contacting users while pretending to be from Microsoft or an organisation’s IT department. Their approaches could involve requests to click suspicious links, provide personal information or take other actions that expose them to fraud.
The NCSC noted that phishing attempts can arrive through emails, text messages, phone calls and social media platforms. Fraudsters often impersonate trusted organisations, including banks, government agencies, businesses and technical support providers.
Although spelling errors, strange email addresses and poorly designed websites were once common indicators of fraudulent communications, scammers increasingly use convincing language, familiar branding and professional-looking messages to deceive their targets.
The agency also warned about phishing emails containing QR codes that may direct users to fraudulent websites.
Other warning signs include messages that demand immediate action, impose artificial deadlines or threaten consequences such as account suspension and financial penalties. Fraudsters may also use fear, excitement, curiosity or promises of exclusive opportunities to influence people's decisions.
The NCSC advised anyone uncertain about the authenticity of a message or phone call to contact the organisation supposedly responsible through independently verified channels.
It warned against using telephone numbers, email addresses or website links supplied in suspicious communications. Instead, people should obtain contact details from the organisation's official website or trusted documents.
Members of the public were also advised to end unexpected calls from individuals claiming to represent official organisations and independently contact the relevant institution before taking further action.
The agency encouraged people to report suspicious messages, websites and telephone calls through the appropriate reporting channels to help authorities and service providers identify fraudulent activities.
It further highlighted the importance of protecting personal information shared online, noting that details about people's workplaces, families, interests and daily activities can be used to make phishing attempts appear more convincing.
Users were therefore advised to review their social media privacy settings and be mindful of the personal information they make publicly available.
The warning reinforces the need for caution whenever unexpected communications request sensitive information, encourage users to follow unfamiliar links or offer unsolicited technical assistance.
Microsoft has separately advised users that it does not make unsolicited calls offering technical support. Anyone experiencing problems with its services should rely on official support channels rather than responding to unexpected callers claiming to represent the company.
Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia
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