Atiku: Police Warn Against Fraudulent Support Text Messages

Yobe State police spokesperson, ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, has told residents to beware of fraudulent cell phone short message service (SMS) asking them to register and support Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and get N69,220 reward.

In an interaction with LEADERSHIP Friday in Damaturu, he said criminals were using the short message service (SMS) to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

The SMS is titled: “Presidential Candidate Support: Beloved, Vote Atiku Abubakar As Your Choice For Change and N69,220 Will Be Offered To You As A Serious Member. Call Management On 07062506048.’’

Abdulkarim said investigation revealed that this text message is a fake, adding that it must have emanated from fraudsters. He said anyone that responds to it will be required to provide security details of his or her bank account to the fraudster who will break into the account and steal money in it.

He said the police are investigating a recent case in which a woman was defrauded of N1.7 million in similar circumstance after fraudsters offered to auction some relief materials to her.

The police spokesperson stressed that under no circumstance should ATM codes, BVN and other bank security codes be provided to dubious persons during business transactions.

The police command also called on POS operators to be cautious of fake transaction text messages. Many POS operators were defrauded through this means, even as the usual transaction messages were sent to them.

“What needs to be understood is that bank transaction messages must come in the corporate name of the bank, and do not receive responses or replies. When someone says he pays money into your account and the text message comes in an anonymous or individual’s name, it is simply a fake,’’ Abdulkarim said.

He also called on prospective beneficiaries of Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes (SIP) to avoid paying money to dubious individuals who claimed they could facilitate their selection into the schemes.