The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians against a fake online portal claiming to offer free corrections and updates for National Identification Number (NIN) records.
The commission said the message, which is being circulated on social media alongside suspicious links, is a phishing scam designed to steal personal information from unsuspecting users.
In a public advisory issued on Tuesday, NIMC urged Nigerians not to click on unauthorised links and stressed that all NIN modifications should only be carried out through its official channels.
“NIMC warns the public against a fraudulent social media post claiming a free ‘Correction Portal’ is open via malicious links. This is a phishing scam,” the agency said. The commission also reassured citizens that the National Identity Database remains secure and has not been compromised.
According to NIMC, individuals seeking to update or correct their NIN information should use the official self-service portal or visit authorised enrolment centres across the country.
The warning comes as cybercriminals increasingly use fake websites, social media posts and fraudulent messages to obtain sensitive personal data from Nigerians.
Why clicking a fake NIN link can be dangerous
A National Identification Number (NIN) is linked to an individual’s crucial personal information, such as their name, date of birth, phone number, and other data used for verification by government and private services.
Cybersecurity experts warn that if fraudsters obtain such information, they can use it for identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes.
For example, criminals could use stolen personal details to impersonate victims, attempt to access financial services, register accounts using another person’s identity or carry out scams in their name.
In some cases, victims may be tricked into entering banking information, passwords or one-time verification codes after clicking fraudulent links. This can lead to unauthorised transactions or the loss of funds.
NIMC advises Nigerians to verify all NIN service information through its official channels and disregard messages requesting payments, personal details, or account information via unofficial websites.
Growing concern over identity-related scams
The latest advisory highlights growing concerns over online scams targeting identity management services as more government processes become digitised.
Fraudsters often create fake websites that closely resemble official government platforms. They do this to trick people interested in services such as NIN registration, data updates, SIM-NIN linkage, and identity verification. These fake websites are designed to confuse people and make them think they are on a real government site.
NIMC urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious messages or websites claiming to offer identity-related services outside approved platforms.
The commission stated that safeguarding personal information is a shared responsibility. It advised Nigerians to be careful when they receive unsolicited messages with links about NIN updates or corrections.
Similar read: NIMC launches WhatsApp, live chat channels for faster NIN support
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