THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered crime fighters attached to the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) to go after unscrupulous individuals who specialise in creating fake websites to defraud Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates.
Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made this known at a joint news conference with the Public Relations Officer of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dr. Fabian Benjamin on Saturday in Abuja.
Adejobi in a prepared address, warned candidates preparing for the 2024 UTME against patronising fake sites.
The 2024 UTME is scheduled to commence on Friday, 19th April, and end on Monday, 29th April, 2024.
He said the joint news conference was necessitated by the reports of emergence of several fake websites created by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of misleading and defrauding candidates in the ongoing printing of the 2024 UTME Notification Slip which contains vital information such as the date, venue, and time of candidates’ examinations.
He revealed that the Inspector-General of Police has ordered the NPF-NCCC to go after scammers and fraudsters who engage in cyber related crimes and create phishing sites/portals.
According to him, these fake sites are designed to deceive innocent candidates into providing personal details such as registration numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers exploited for malicious purposes.
“Both JAMB and the Nigeria Police Force condemn these fraudulent activities and hereby reiterate the readiness to safeguard the interests of candidates and maintain the integrity of the examination process.
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“We urge parents, guardians, and all stakeholders to ensure that candidates print their UTME Notification Slips only from the Board’s approved website: www.jamb.gov.ng.
“Candidates can print their slips from the comfort of their homes or visit any of the over 700 accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide,” he said.
Adejobi explained that the force was familiar with the tactics employed by the fraudsters, especially during the annual assessment and admission exercises.
He, therefore, said that both organisations was actively sensitising candidates and the public about these deceptive practices.
“Any candidate who visits these fake sites will definitely have unreliable information and thereby miss out in the forthcoming exams.
“Candidates are advised to print their UTME Notification Slips before Friday, 19th April, 2024, to access vital information about their examinations.
“Any website other than www.jamb.gov.ng offering UTME slip printing services is fake and designed to defraud candidates,” he added.
He also called on candidates to beware of sites offering ‘live’ questions and answers, as they were false and deceptive, saying that accessing such materials was prohibited.
He further said the board is partnering with the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) to address online scam-related issues seamlessly.
He assured candidates and the public of the force’s firm dedication to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process.
On his part, the JAMB Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, pledged the Board’s commitment to continue in playing its role
He, therefore, urged candidates to ignore any unsolicited messages noting that they were scams aimed at defrauding candidates.
