Computer Crimes and Counter Measures in the Nigerian Banking Sector

The increase in the use of the information and communication technology (ICT) facilities such as computers and the Internet in the perpetration of criminal activities like spamming, credit card frauds, ATM frauds, phishing, identity theft, denial-of-service, and a host of others has lend credence to the view that ICT is contributing to crime in the banking sector. A greater understanding of such computer crimes may complement existing security practices by possibly highlighting new areas of counter measures. This paper thus assesses whether these crimes can be totally eradicated or not and whether the new generation banks experience more computer crimes than the old generation banks in Nigeria. Based on the findings of this study, the paper concludes that total eradication of computer crimes is not possible but can be highly reduced if internal control measures are adequately put in place within a bank’s organizational structure and that new generation banks seem to experience more crimes than their old generation counterparts due to the fact that majority of their services, which are automated, are subjected to technological changes at a rapid rate.