By Gabriel Ameh
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists and members of the public about fraudulent text messages claiming that recipients have been recorded for new road traffic offences.
The Corps said the messages, circulated through mobile phones and social media platforms, direct unsuspecting members of the public to a fake website designed to impersonate the digital identity of FRSC.
FRSC specifically disowned the website “frscgov.top/ng”, stressing that it has no affiliation with the Corps.
According to the road safety agency, the fraudulent messages create a sense of urgency by informing recipients that a traffic offence has been recorded against them and asking them to click a link to review the alleged offence.
The Corps warned that such links could be designed to obtain personal information, financial details and other sensitive data from victims.
Motorists have therefore been advised not to click on suspicious links, make payments or disclose banking information, passwords, card details, driver’s licence information, vehicle registration details or other personal information in response to unsolicited messages.
FRSC urged anyone who receives the messages to preserve the evidence, avoid further engagement with the sender and report the incident through appropriate channels.
How Motorists Can Verify Traffic Offences
The Corps advised motorists to verify any alleged traffic offence directly through established FRSC channels rather than clicking links contained in unsolicited SMS messages or social media posts.
FRSC said its official website is www.frsc.gov.ng, while its published national toll-free line is 122.
The Corps also warned those behind the scheme against using its name, identity, insignia and institutional credibility to deceive motorists.
It said it would work with relevant law-enforcement and cybersecurity authorities to pursue appropriate action against individuals involved in the impersonation of FRSC personnel and the operation of counterfeit digital platforms.
The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, mni, has directed that the public be adequately sensitised about the fraudulent scheme and urged motorists to exercise greater caution in their online engagements.
He stressed that the Corps remains committed to protecting the integrity of its digital systems and ensuring that technology deployed for road safety administration is not exploited by fraudsters to deceive or extort members of the public.
The Corps Marshal urged Nigerians to follow three steps whenever they receive a suspicious message claiming to be from FRSC:
“STOP. VERIFY. REPORT.”
FRSC also encouraged members of the public to share the warning widely to help prevent motorists from falling victim to the scam.
The Corps advised Nigerians to rely only on its official website and established communication channels when seeking information or accessing FRSC services.
