The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has issued a stark warning to motorists and the general public regarding a sophisticated phishing scam involving fraudulent text messages and a fake website designed to extort money and steal sensitive data.
According to a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Osondu Ohaeri, the scam relies on unsolicited SMS messages purportedly sent by the FRSC. These messages falsely inform recipients that new “road traffic offence records” have been logged against them, urging immediate action to avoid penalties.
To make the deception more convincing, the messages direct users to a counterfeit website specifically identified as “frscgov.top/ng” which mimics the digital identity of the Corps. The FRSC has unequivocally disowned the site and the messages, clarifying that its only official web address is ‘frsc.gov.ng’.
“The Corps therefore unequivocally disowns the messages and the website, stressing that members of the public should not regard such communications as originating from FRSC,” the statement read.
The agency explained that the fraudulent messages are deliberately engineered to create a sense of panic and urgency. By instructing recipients to click a link to “review the relevant details,” the scammers aim to harvest personal information, financial credentials, and other sensitive data from unsuspecting victims.
In response to the growing threat, the FRSC has advised Nigerians to exercise extreme caution. “No member of the public should click on suspicious links, make payments, disclose banking information, passwords, card details, driver’s licence information, vehicle registration details or other personal information in response to such messages,” the Corps warned.
Those who receive the fake alerts are urged to preserve the evidence, cease all communication with the sender, and report the incident through appropriate law enforcement channels. Furthermore, the FRSC emphasized that any legitimate traffic offence should only be verified directly through official FRSC platforms, the national toll-free line, or the official website, rather than through links embedded in unsolicited texts.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed has directed a massive public sensitization campaign to combat the scheme, warning the criminal elements behind it that the agency will not hesitate to involve cybersecurity authorities and law enforcement to track and prosecute them.
Reiterating the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on institutional impersonation, the Corps Marshal urged all Nigerians to adopt a simple three-step mantra when dealing with digital communications: “STOP. VERIFY. REPORT.”
As the FRSC makes it clear that it will not be held responsible for any financial losses arising from engagement with unauthorized platforms, the message to the public is undeniable. In an era where traffic fines can be weaponized by cybercriminals, a moment of verification is the best defense against digital theft.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
