Many Nigerians have recently been receiving viral messages on WhatsApp and Facebook that promise free 30GB and 60GB mobile data from MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile through suspicious links that require users to click and share to other groups.
Security experts have warned that these links are completely fake and are created by fraudsters to steal personal information, bank details and social media accounts from unsuspecting mobile phone users across Nigeria.
I am a web developer and I have made thorough research about these viral free data links to confirm if they are genuine or fake. After investigating several of these websites and checking their source codes and domain registrations, I can confirm that they are completely fake and dangerous. These platforms usually contain fake pages that look like the official websites of telecommunication companies in Nigeria to deceive visitors.
The way this scam works is that when a user clicks on the link, the website will ask the person to enter their phone number, select their network provider and share the link to ten WhatsApp groups before the promised data will be credited. After sharing the link to many groups, the victim will be redirected to another page that asks for sensitive information like bank verification number, ATM card details or Facebook login password for verification purposes.
According to reports from the Nigerian Communications Commission, no telecommunication company in Nigeria is currently giving out free 30GB or 60GB data through WhatsApp links that require sharing to multiple groups before activation.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has advised mobile subscribers to always confirm any data promotion or bonus offer directly from the official codes of their network provider or by visiting the official website of MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile.
The danger of clicking on these fake links is that fraudsters can use the information provided by victims to hack their WhatsApp accounts, steal money from bank accounts or use their phone numbers for criminal activities without their knowledge.
Residents in Nigeria who have fallen victim to this scam have reported losing access to their WhatsApp accounts immediately after entering their information on the fake data websites that promised free data.
To stay safe, mobile phone users should avoid clicking on any link that promises free data that sounds too good to be true and should never share their bank details or social media passwords on unverified websites.
The best way to get affordable data in Nigeria is to dial the official USSD codes of your network provider or use the official mobile application of MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile to check for genuine data promotions and bonuses.
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