SCAM ALERT: FRAUDSTERS SENDING BVN MESSAGES

From independent Newspaper, Asaba, Awele Ogbogu, reports that, A spurious text message asking bank customers to revalidate their Bank Verification Number (BVN) is currently being disseminated by unknown persons. The SMS sent by SMSCaster.com informed recipients that “due to the BVN validation in compliance with CBN Directives, your ATM card has been de-activated Call Customer Care:+2349030087594.”

It was gathered that this is not the first time such suspicious bulk text messages had been sent out to the public, it has, however, caused apprehension among some bank customers in Asaba who fear that they may no longer be able to use their ATM cards. One of them, who had never received such SMS and put a call to the phone line, narrated the conversation she had with a man who simply identified himself as Mr. Paul from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Mr. Paul asked: “Which bank are you using?”

“I have more than one account. Which bank are you working for?”

“I told you I am from CBN and we are the ones that control all the banks in Nigeria.”

“So are you saying that all my accounts are affected?”

Mr. Paul replied: “I can’t say for now but do you have all the ATM cards with you there so I can check the system”

She said she hung up at that point to avoid disclosing her personal account details to an unknown person. Another bank customer who received the SMS in Asaba, said although he refused to supply his ATM card number to reactivate it, he was surprised when subsequently, he experienced no problems using the ATM.

Below is an example of the scam message " SMSCaster.com: Dear Customer,Your ATM CARD has been de-activated due to BVN system up-grade to re-activate contact CBN customer care on 08169519789.Thanks".