Don't be scammed! You can't apply for Nigeria's NIRSAL bank products via this malicious website
IN SHORT: NIRSAL Microfinance Bank has warned that a fraudulent website is promoting cash transfers. Nigerians should ignore Facebook posts encouraging them to apply via the malicious website.
A message circulating on Facebook claims that NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB) has approved N500,000 (about US$333) conditional cash transfers to Nigerian households.
NMFB is a financial institution licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide specialised banking services. It has 115 branches across the country and is headquartered in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
One of the posts, dated 2 February 2025, reads: "Dear Household, Kindly Accept Your N500,000 NIRSAL Microfinance Bank TCF Household Uplifting Programme Conditional Cash Transfer."
The post includes a website link to accept the offer.
The same claim can be found here and here. But can these posts be trusted?
Red flags
We clicked on the link in the suspicious post, but the website did not open, raising questions about its authenticity.
A reputable financial institution such as NISRAL Microfinance Bank should have a legitimate portal for accessing its services.
Fraudulent website, says NISRAL
We visited the bank's website to see if the offer was listed under their products.
As soon as we opened the site, a warning message appeared on the screen.
"Dear customer, we have identified a fraudulent website that is impersonating our platform. (https://nmfbloans.com.ng/index.php). This site appears to be a scam. Please, avoid falling prey to any of its traps. Measures are being taken to respond to this," the warning reads.
This is the same link as the one in the Facebook posts.
