IN SHORT: Facebook posts link to a website pretending to be an N-Power application portal. Beware, as the website might be out to steal your personal details.
A Facebook post is calling on Nigerians to apply to be beneficiaries of the ongoing N-Power programme.
N-Power is an initiative that was launched in 2016 by Muhammadu Buhari while he was still Nigeria’s president. It is the government’s social investment programme, aimed at reducing unemployment among young people.
“Become a Beneficiary of the 2023 N-Power Programme by applying today,” reads the post.
The post has received over 2,700 likes, 32 shares and 1,000 comments from interested users.
Attached to the post is a link that leads to a site headlined: “APPLY FOR N-POWER GRANT 2023.”
To be part of the official programme, Nigerians aged 18 to 35 need to apply via the official website. Those selected are then trained and given job opportunities. They also earn stipends of up to N30,000 depending on their qualifications.
Similar posts can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.
But can these posts be trusted? We checked.
Here’s what we found
Africa Check clicked on the link attached to the Facebook post and it took us to a suspicious-looking site. We clicked on the “Apply here” button and were asked to fill in our name, email address, gender, state of origin and phone number.
After filling in the information, it redirected us to a site that explains how to apply for a Harvard University programme. Harvard is located in the US state of Massachusetts.
But the site wasn’t the university’s official site and there was no indication the process was legitimate. This was highly suspicious and convinced us the posts were not to be trusted.
The Facebook posts use a tactic known as engagement bait. By liking, sharing and commenting on posts, users increase their reach and ultimately direct traffic to the fake website. This could also be scammers’ way of stealing users’ personal information, which may lead to identity theft.
To protect yourself, read our guide on how to spot Facebook scams.
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