The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a fresh warning to Nigerians over a sophisticated scam involving fake airline ticket discounts and identity theft using fintech platforms.
In a statement released on Thursday, the EFCC revealed that fraudsters are now using bogus promotional campaigns, particularly targeting popular foreign airlines and digital financial services, to gain unauthorized access to victims’ banking information.
According to EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, one of the schemes promises unsuspecting Nigerians a 50% discount on flight tickets—claiming it’s a limited-time charity promo by a well-known international airline. Victims are often asked to donate a small sum, usually around N500, to access the offer. But what seems like a harmless transaction quickly turns sinister.
“Once victims download the fake airline app, embedded malware steals their personal and financial details. From there, fraudsters access their accounts, transfer funds to microfinance banks, and eventually clean out the money using fintech and crypto channels,” Oyewale explained.
But that’s only part of the story.
The EFCC has also uncovered a disturbing trend involving “Account Suppliers” and “KYC Groups.” These groups recruit mostly young Nigerians to sell their identity data—such as Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), National Identification Numbers (NINs), passport photos, and more—for a token of N1,500 to N2,000.
What happens next is alarming.
“These stolen identities are sold to fintech platforms for up to N5,000 each and used to open fake accounts for fraudulent investments and other illicit transactions,” Oyewale said. “We have intelligence suggesting over 12,000 individuals across the country are involved in this growing scheme.”
The anti-graft agency has already arrested multiple suspects and has begun recovery processes for funds lost to both the fake promo and identity fraud operations.
In its advisory, the EFCC cautioned Nigerians against sharing personal details with anyone offering payments or investment opportunities through unofficial channels.
“Don’t give out your personal data for any amount of money. On no account should anyone agree to become an account donor,” the agency warned, stressing that such actions could compromise national security.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial landscape, urging citizens to stay alert and immediately report any suspicious apps, investment offers, or identity requests to law enforcement.