Nigerian Woman Cries Out After Fake ₦50,000 FG Grant Link Allegedly Debits Her Account
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| Nigerians are warned against suspicious links promising access to the Federal Government's ₦50,000 relief support. |
In her account, the woman explained that several people had previously sent her links claiming to provide access to the Federal Government grant. However, she said she initially ignored them because she was unsure about their authenticity.
She eventually decided to try one of the links after a trusted friend forwarded it to her and claimed to know someone who had already received the grant.
According to her account, the link directed her to provide her bank account details and instructed her to share the same link with five other people as part of the process.
She said she followed the instructions, expecting to receive the promised ₦50,000. However, instead of receiving the money, she discovered that her account had been debited.
The incident has renewed concerns about online fraudsters exploiting Nigerians' interest in government financial assistance, particularly through fake grant applications circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
What Nigerians Should Know About the ₦50,000 Grant
The Federal Government's National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) is a genuine relief programme designed to provide ₦50,000 support to selected poor and vulnerable households.
However, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has clarified that beneficiaries are selected through verified national identity records and the National Social Register. There is no public registration or application process.
Selected beneficiaries receive SMS notifications through authorised payment providers. The programme does not require applicants to click random links, submit bank details through unofficial websites or forward messages to friends to qualify.
The ministry has also warned Nigerians never to disclose their PINs, one-time passwords (OTPs) or other sensitive banking information to anyone claiming to facilitate payment.
Anyone who has submitted banking information through a suspicious link should contact their bank immediately, report the transaction and take steps to secure their account.
The Federal Government's NERSI programme helpline is 0700-022-2222.
The woman's account is another reminder that Nigerians should verify financial assistance announcements through official government channels before sharing personal or banking information online.