The Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) has exposed a fraudulent text-message scheme targeting motorists with fake notices of new traffic offences and links to a website designed to impersonate the agency.
The Corps raised the alarm in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Corps Public Education Officer, Osondu Ohaeri; it warned motorists and members of the public against responding to unsolicited messages claiming that traffic offences had been recorded against them.
According to the FRSC, the messages are being circulated through mobile phones and social media platforms. Recipients are told that an alleged offence requires immediate attention and are directed to a deceptive website purportedly offering details of the violation.
The agency identified the website as fraudulent and confirmed that it has no connection with the FRSC.
The scheme relies on urgency to make recipients act before verifying the information. A message suggesting that a motorist has committed an offence can prompt the recipient to click the accompanying link, potentially exposing personal or financial information.
The Corps cautioned the public that such links could be used to harvest sensitive data from unsuspecting victims.
It advised motorists not to click suspicious links or provide banking details, passwords, card information, driver’s licence records, vehicle registration particulars or other confidential data in response to unsolicited messages.
The FRSC also instructed anyone who receives the messages to preserve the evidence, discontinue communication with the sender and report the incident through appropriate channels.
The warning comes as government agencies continues to rely on digital platforms to communicate with citizens. Fraudsters can exploit that familiarity by replicating official names, symbols and online identities to make fabricated notices appear authentic.
The Corps consequently advised motorists to authenticate any purported traffic offence through established FRSC channels rather than relying on links supplied in unexpected messages.
The agency listed its national toll-free number as 122 and also referred the public to its official website for verification and legitimate communication.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed directed that members of the public be adequately sensitised about the fraudulent scheme. He also encouraged motorists to adopt a simple approach when confronted with suspicious messages: “stop, verify, report.”
The FRSC further cautioned individuals behind the scheme against exploiting the agency’s name, insignia and digital platforms to defraud Nigerians.
It disclosed that it would collaborate with relevant law-enforcement and cybersecurity authorities to pursue those responsible.
The development highlights a growing risk in digital communication: an apparently routine government notification can become a gateway to fraud when recipients act on unverified links. The FRSC’s warning therefore emphasises independent verification before motorists disclose information or take action on any alleged traffic offence.
Motorists who receive such messages are advised to treat unexpected links with caution and use the Corps’ established communication channels to determine whether an offence notification is genuine.
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