April 16, (THEWILL) – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned candidates of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the general public to disregard fraudulent messages being circulated in its name by suspected scammers.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, JAMB’s Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, described the messages as “false, misleading, and criminal,” noting that they are intended to defraud unsuspecting candidates.
According to Benjamin, the perpetrators have manipulated a variant of the UTME code “8863” and merged it with the Board’s official USSD code “55019” to create a fake shortcode, which they use to impersonate JAMB’s official communication platform.
“Through this fraudulent scheme, they have been sending deceptive messages to candidates, alleging irregularities in their JAMB details and directing them to contact certain individuals for assistance in resolving these fabricated issues,” he said.
He stressed that JAMB is not responsible for the messages and has notified security agencies, who are currently tracking those behind the scam.
“The public is advised to remain vigilant and critically evaluate all communications. Any message that does not originate from JAMB’s verified platforms or contains questionable instructions should be regarded as fraudulent,” Benjamin cautioned.
He urged candidates to rely only on the Board’s official website and communication channels for credible updates.
Let me know if you want this repurposed for broadcast or social media too.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
