EFCC alerts Nigerians on fake lockdown funds
Samson Echenim is business a.m. correspondent providing coverage for maritime, aviation, travels and hospitality. A former business correspondent at the Punch and Leadership newspapers, he has a vast experience in business reporting. Samson can be reached on samhapp2000@yahoo.com and +2348037363024
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alerted Nigerians about a fraudulent offer of lockdown palliatives online.
The in a statement on Tuesday, cautioned members of the public against fraudulent activities of spurious dispenser and manager of funds to vulnerable Nigerians, ostensibly to cope with the discomfort associated with the lockdown measures of the Federal Government in some parts of the country.
Ibrahim Magu, acting executive chairman of the EFCC, who disclosed the strange development on Tuesday, according to the statement by Tony Orilade, acting head, Media & Publicity,
added that some faceless elements are circulating ” Free N5000 Lockeddown Funds to Sustain During Lockdown.”
He said, “The circulation of the fake funds is being carried out online through a phishing link via WhatsApp. The link is embedded with a link titled https://bit.ly/free-N5000. Whenever the link is clicked, it would redirect recipients of the message to a phishing website address https://fg-free-funds.
According to Magu, the phishing website is curiously hosted on a Google server. “However, registration information of the website is being investigated and members of the public are advised to be wary of any Lockdown Funds dressed in any suspicious garb”, he added.
It would be recalled that, the EFCC, had in a recent release, cautioned Nigerians against fake cures and donations, especially fake charities springing up purporting to offer guidelines on donations to government and ordinary Nigerians in a bid to cope with the discomfort arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Magu reiterates the commitments of the EFCC to monitor closely the antics of fraudsters cashing in on the government lockdown directives to perpetrate criminal acts. “We would not stop bursting every scheme designed to defraud Nigerians of their hard- earned money”, he said.