Abuja — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alerted Nigerians to a sophisticated scam involving fake airline ticket promos used by fraudsters to gain unauthorized access to victims’ bank details and siphon funds.
In a public statement, the Commission warned that the scheme is masked as promotional ticket discounts by foreign airlines, luring unsuspecting individuals with teasers such as “promo” and “investment window.” Victims are typically enticed to make a small payment—often as little as N500—and to download an application that, once installed, grants remote access to sensitive financial and personal data.
According to the EFCC, in one instance, scammers advertised a 50% discount on air tickets, prompting victims to pay N500 into a purported airline account. The payment, disguised as a charity donation, served as a gateway for the fraudsters to infiltrate users’ mobile devices. After downloading the app, victims’ personal and financial details were compromised, leading to unauthorized withdrawals routed through microfinance bank accounts and laundered via cryptocurrency transactions.
The Commission further disclosed that a key part of the operation involves an informal network of young Nigerians, commonly referred to as “Account Suppliers” or “KYC Group.” These individuals offer between N1,500 and N2,000 to unsuspecting Nigerians in exchange for sensitive identity documents such as National Identity Number (NIN) slips, Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), passport photographs, and other forms of identification.
“Information available to the Commission revealed that the actors are up to 12,000 all over the country seeking account donors that will surrender their NIN registration slip, BVN, passport photograph and other means of identification for a little fee,” the EFCC stated.
These details are then sold to fintech platforms for about N5,000 and used to open accounts that serve as conduits for investment scams and other fraudulent activities.
The EFCC confirmed that arrests have been made in connection with the scheme and that efforts are underway to trace and recover stolen funds. The agency urged Nigerians to remain cautious and not to participate in any activity that involves handing over personal data for financial compensation.
“No Nigerian should agree to be an Account Donor for any purpose as this is a threat to national security,” the Commission warned.
The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the financial space and encouraged members of the public to report suspicious financial activity to its offices across the country.
