The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has issued an urgent warning to motorists regarding a widespread SMS phishing scheme designed to drain bank accounts.
The fraudulent message typically creates a sense of urgency by informing the recipient that a new traffic offence has been recorded against them and inviting them to click a link to ‘review the relevant details.
How the Scam Works
Drivers receive a text message claiming to come from ‘Traffic’ or ‘FRSC’ stating, ‘FRSC: You have a new road traffic offence record that requires handling. Please review the relevant details.’
The message includes a link to spoofed domains designed to imitate government official platforms.
Once on the phishing site, users are prompted to pay a nominal ‘handling fee’ or nominal fine (sometimes as low as N5 or N500) to view or clear the ticket.
When victims input their debit card details, expiry date, CVV, and OTP (One-Time Password), the attackers harvest the credentials in real-time, instantly cloning the card details or authorizing massive unauthorized withdrawals.
Members of the public who receive these messages are advised to preserve the evidence, avoid further engagement with the sender and report the matter through appropriate channels, according to the FRSC.
If you receive one of these messages, do not click the link. If you have already interacted with the site, follow these steps immediately:
If you entered your card number, CVV, or OTP on any suspicious link, contact your bank’s emergency hotline or use USSD banking codes to freeze your debit cards and temporarily block transfers on your account.
How to identify fake messages
Check the domain. Official Nigerian government websites end strictly in ‘.gov.ng’ (e.g., ?frsc.gov.ng?). Fraudulent links use deceptive extensions like ?.top?, ?.cam?, ?.click?, or ?.cc?.
Multiple Payment Options. Genuine FRSC fines issued via Notice of Offence sheets are paid through authorized government payment portals like Remita (selecting FRSC under MDAs), verified bank branches, or official POS terminals at sector commands, not unverified single-card payment forms on third-party links.