The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued a warning to the public regarding phishing emails and urged caution when dealing with unknown links and untrusted websites to prevent falling victim to cybercriminals.
NITDA discredited a viral grant scheme circulating on social media under the name ‘President Bola Tinubu’s N50,000 Cash Grant’ to Nigerians.
The scheme, which claims to offer a cash grant of N50,000, is actually a phishing website designed to deceive individuals into providing personal information for fraudulent purposes.
NITDA emphasized that if such programs existed, the government would communicate them through appropriate channels.
In an official statement signed by Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations at NITDA, released on Wednesday, the agency described the scheme as fake and fraudulent.
Umar cautioned Nigerians about the phishing website associated with the grant, highlighting its purpose of misleading unsuspecting citizens.
According to NITDA, their Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (NITDA-CERRT) discovered that the website is being used to gather people’s information for fraudulent activities.
The agency advises the public to refrain from clicking on unknown links and specifically warns against accessing the website ‘https://thryt.com/50k-CashGrants‘ and similar websites.
These sites aim to trick users into divulging personal information, including full name, phone number, home address, email address, bank account details, such as the bank’s name and account number.
NITDA further stresses that any genuine government programs would be communicated through the appropriate agency responsible for supervising such initiatives.
