Technology-Enabled Crimes and E-Transactions in South-South Geo-Political Zone

Abstract

This study examined technology-enabled crimes and electronic transactions in the South-South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to examine the relationship between social engineering scams and e-transactions. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study adopted a descryiptive survey research design. The population comprised active users of electronic transaction platforms. Taro Yamane's sampling technique was used and a sample size of 362 respondents was selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a structured five-point Likert scale questionnaire. While reliability was confirmed through a pilot study that yielded a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.86. Data were analyzed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between social engineering scams and e-transactions (r = 0.614), leading to the rejection of the first null hypothesis. Similarly, hacking was found to have a significant positive relationship with e-transactions (r = 0.621), resulting in the rejection of the second null hypothesis. The study concluded that technology-enabled crimes constitute a major challenge to the security and sustainability of electronic transactions. The study recommended sustained public awareness campaigns by financial institutions to educate users on social engineering tactics and the continuous implementation of robust cybersecurity measures, including regular system updates, advanced firewalls, endpoint protection, and encryption technologies, to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen the security of electronic transaction platforms.