- \n
- The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) both said in October that they are not recruiting<\/strong> and that adverts using their names are fake.<\/li>\n
- Genuine public-sector jobs are announced on official websites and authorised channels, not through random social media posts or unrelated email addresses.<\/li>\n
- No genuine employer will ask you to pay a \u201cprocessing\u201d, \u201cform\u201d or \u201cappointment\u201d fee.<\/li>\n
- NAPTIP warned on 5 November that fake online job offers are also being used by traffickers to lure victims.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Person](\"https:\/\/mosravo.com\/publications\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/16586325402_cfd0564c39_b.jpg\")
Photo: \u201cRikki\u2019s Refuge is accepting job applications! (Posted 2\/19\/15)\u201d by rikkis_refuge, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Recent cases you should know about<\/h2>\n
The fake \u201cFIRS job vacancy replacement\u201d notice<\/h3>\n
On 5 October 2026, the Nigeria Revenue Service, which succeeded the Federal Inland Revenue Service, posted a \u201cFraudulent Recruitment Notice\u201d on its official X account. As reported by Legit.ng, a notice titled \u201cFederal Inland Revenue Service FIRS Job Vacancy Replacement\u201d was circulating online and told applicants to send their details to an email address unconnected with the agency. The NRS said it had not authorised any recruitment exercise or appointed any agent to run one, and warned people not to send money, certificates, identification documents or financial information through the advert\u2019s channels.<\/p>\n
Forged NSITF appointment letters<\/h3>\n
The NSITF also issued a public notice, reported by Vanguard, warning about fake employment adverts and forged appointment letters, especially on Facebook. The Fund said it is not currently recruiting, charges no fees for employment and does not recruit through unofficial social media channels. It directed its regional and branch offices to display the warning at receptions, entrances and SERVICOM desks.<\/p>\n
Job offers used as bait by traffickers<\/h3>\n
At a joint security briefing in Abuja on 5 November, NAPTIP spokesperson Vincent Adekoye said fraudulent job adverts, especially online, are being used to lure people, and that many job seekers have travelled long distances only to fall into traffickers\u2019 hands. P.M. News and Voice of Nigeria reported that he cited the case of a lawyer from Benue State who went to Abuja after answering an online job advert. He also said traffickers pose as helpful service providers in gyms, public places and online platforms to collect phone numbers, then appear at moments of difficulty or stage emergencies to win trust and pressure victims for money.<\/p>\n
How the fake recruitment scam works<\/h2>\n
- \n
- The bait.<\/strong> A polished advert appears on social media or by email, using a real agency\u2019s name and look.<\/li>\n
- The application.<\/strong> You are told to send your CV, certificates, ID documents or bank details to an email address or website that has nothing to do with the employer.<\/li>\n
- The \u201cshortlist\u201d.<\/strong> You may be congratulated and asked to pay for forms, \u201cdocumentation\u201d, training or an appointment letter.<\/li>\n
- The squeeze.<\/strong> More fees can follow. In the worst cases, you are invited to travel to meet an \u201cemployer\u201d, which is where the danger becomes physical, not just financial.<\/li>\n
- The silence.<\/strong> Once payments stop, the contact disappears, and the documents you sent remain in criminals\u2019 hands.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Warning signs to watch for<\/h2>\n
- \n
- The agency\u2019s official website and verified social accounts say nothing about the recruitment.<\/li>\n
- Applications go to a free email address or an unfamiliar domain rather than the agency\u2019s own site.<\/li>\n
- Any request for payment, however small or however it is described.<\/li>\n
- Pressure to act fast: \u201conly 48 hours left\u201d, \u201climited slots\u201d, \u201calready shortlisted\u201d.<\/li>\n
- Requests for your BVN, bank login, OTP or ATM PIN. No employer needs these to hire you.<\/li>\n
- Interviews arranged in private homes, hotels or unfamiliar locations, or offers that require you to travel at your own expense.<\/li>\n
- Appointment letters arriving without any interview or test.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How to protect yourself<\/h2>\n
Before you apply<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Go directly to the organisation\u2019s official website by typing the address yourself, and look for the vacancy there.<\/li>\n
- Check the agency\u2019s verified social media pages for any disclaimer. Agencies often post warnings like those from the NRS and NSITF.<\/li>\n
- Search the advert\u2019s wording together with the word \u201cfake\u201d or \u201cscam\u201d to see if others have flagged it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
While applying<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Never pay anyone to secure a job, form or interview.<\/li>\n
- Share only what a genuine application needs, and only through the employer\u2019s official portal.<\/li>\n
- Do not send scans of your NIN, international passport or bank documents to an email address you cannot verify.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If invited to an interview<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Confirm the invitation by calling the organisation using a number from its official website, not the one in the message.<\/li>\n
- Tell a friend or family member where you are going, and choose public, verifiable office addresses.<\/li>\n
- Be cautious with new online \u201ccontacts\u201d who suddenly have an urgent emergency and need money.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For employers and HR teams<\/h3>\n
Fraudsters can borrow private-company names too. Publish a clear statement on your careers page saying you never charge fees, list your official recruitment email domain, and respond quickly when someone asks whether an advert is genuine.<\/p>\n
If you have already been caught<\/h2>\n
- \n
- Stop all payments and communication immediately.<\/li>\n
- Call your bank through its official number if you shared card or account details, and ask it to block transactions.<\/li>\n
- Change passwords on any email or social account you used, and turn on two-step verification.<\/li>\n
- Keep screenshots, receipts and phone numbers as evidence.<\/li>\n
- Report the advert to the agency it impersonated and to the platform where you saw it.<\/li>\n
- Report fraud to the police or the EFCC. If you suspect trafficking or were asked to travel, contact NAPTIP.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should do<\/h2>\n
- \n
- Treat every job advert that asks for money as fake.<\/li>\n
- Verify every government vacancy on the agency\u2019s own website before applying.<\/li>\n
- Share this alert with job seekers in your family and community WhatsApp groups.<\/li>\n
- Businesses: add a \u201cwe never charge recruitment fees\u201d notice to your website today.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sources<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Legit.ng: NRS warns Nigerians about fake FIRS job vacancy advert<\/a><\/li>\n
- Vanguard: NSITF exposes fake recruitment scam<\/a><\/li>\n
- Voice of Nigeria: NAPTIP warns Nigerians against online sextortion, job scams<\/a><\/li>\n
- P.M. News: Trafficking: Fake jobs used to lure victims, NAPTIP warns<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Vanguard: NSITF exposes fake recruitment scam<\/a><\/li>\n
- Legit.ng: NRS warns Nigerians about fake FIRS job vacancy advert<\/a><\/li>\n
- The application.<\/strong> You are told to send your CV, certificates, ID documents or bank details to an email address or website that has nothing to do with the employer.<\/li>\n