The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a strong warning to Nigerians over a growing wave of fraudulent messages, emails, and online communications aimed at stealing personal and financial information.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the bank’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, said the deceptive messages are increasingly sophisticated and often disguised as official correspondence from the apex bank.
She explained that these communications are designed not only to harvest sensitive data but also to spread false information about the bank’s leadership, policies, and licensing activities.
According to the CBN, many of the fraudulent messages lure unsuspecting recipients into clicking malicious links or providing confidential details under the pretense of complying with official instructions. The bank warned that such actions could lead to compromised accounts and significant financial losses.
“These fraudulent messages… are intended to hack personal accounts and mislead the public with false narratives,” the statement noted, urging Nigerians to exercise extreme caution when interacting with unsolicited digital communications.
Financial and cybersecurity experts have echoed the CBN’s concerns, describing the trend as part of a broader rise in digital financial crimes across the country. A Lagos-based cybersecurity analyst, Ibrahim Adeyemi, noted that fraudsters are increasingly leveraging social engineering tactics to manipulate victims.
“Scammers now craft messages that appear highly credible, sometimes mimicking official logos and language. The goal is to create urgency or fear so that victims act without verifying,” he said. He advised individuals to independently confirm any suspicious communication and avoid clicking on unknown links.
Similarly, financial expert Ngozi Okafor stressed the importance of public awareness, noting that digital literacy remains a key defense against cyber fraud. “Many people still underestimate how easily their data can be compromised. Education and vigilance are critical,” she added.