The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it will prosecute telemarketers who illegally access the telephone numbers of telecom subscribers for commercial activities and gains.
It noted that the claim that the telemarketers obtain telecom consumers’ phone numbers from the commission was false.
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The NCC disclosed this in a public notice titled, ‘Unauthorised Use of Telecom Subscribers’ Phone Numbers and Other Personal Information by Telemarketers,’ signed by the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta.
The commission explained that it fully abides by the principles and rules guiding the protection of privacy for consumers of telecommunications services and no service provider or telemarketer is authorised to invade, harvest, or use subscriber data in any form or guise without the express approval of the consumer, except otherwise provided by law.
It said, “The protection of the data of telecom subscribers by the Commission is guaranteed in Section 35 (1) of the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations, 2007; Section 9 (1) of the Nigerian Communications (Registration of Communications Subscribers) Regulations,2022; and Section 4.2 (a) & (b) of the NCC’s Internet Code of Practice.
“Therefore, any telemarketer involved in harvesting telecom subscribers’ phone numbers and other personal details through dishonest means and using such for commercial purposes without regulatory approval is hereby strongly warned to desist from his illegal act, as anyone found guilty shall be arrested and prosecuted in keeping with the law.”
