Bank customers warned over fake alerts and cloned sites as fraud rises

Bank customers in Nigeria have been told to slow down before acting on any message that asks them to click a link or share account details, as fraudsters keep finding new ways to pose as banks.

The warning came from the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB), a body of bank communications and marketing staff. Its president, Jide Sipe, said criminals now copy bank logos, customer names and phone numbers to make fake messages look genuine.

The alert followed a fraudulent text message that claimed to come from banks. Fact-checking platform FactCheckAfrica traced the link in the message to a fake banking website built to harvest login details, Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), card information and transaction PINs.

What the association is warning about

Sipe said the closeness of these messages to real bank notices is what makes them dangerous. "When a scam message carries your name, your phone number or your bank's logo, it looks real," he said. He added that no bank in Nigeria will ask a customer to confirm a PIN, password, one-time password (OTP) or BVN through a link.

ACAMB advised customers to ignore links in unexpected messages that ask them to verify, reactivate or secure an account. It also warned against giving out PINs, passwords, OTPs, card verification values (CVVs) or BVNs in response to suspicious requests.

Instead, customers should check directly with their bank through its official mobile app, its verified social media accounts or the phone numbers the bank has published for customer service. Anyone who has entered banking details on a suspicious site should contact their bank at once so the account can be secured and affected cards blocked where necessary.

The warning comes as digital fraud cases pile up. In June, Wema Bank stopped engaging on X after reports that more than 70 accounts were impersonating the bank and its ALAT platform. In August, Zenith Bank said it was looking into unauthorised access to customer data tied to a global cyberattack.

Sipe noted that banks have been tightening fraud detection and that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced a compulsory cybersecurity self-assessment guide. But he said systems alone cannot stop the problem, and customers must stay alert.

"Banks can strengthen their security systems, but fraudsters continue to find ways to exploit unsuspecting customers," he said, urging people to pause, confirm requests through official channels and report anything suspicious before acting.

What happens next

ACAMB said it will keep working with member banks, regulators and the media to spread awareness of cyber fraud as more Nigerians use online banking. For customers, the practical step is simple: treat every unexpected message about your account as suspect until your bank confirms it through a channel you already trust.