The Military Pension Board, MPB, has warned military retirees and their families to be wary of fraudulent schemes aimed at stealing personal and banking information under the guise of processing pension benefits.
The board raised the alarm over what it described as an identity theft operation targeting pensioners and next of kin nationwide.
According to the MPB, fraudsters posing as pension officials and agents have been requesting sensitive information such as Bank Verification Numbers, BVNs, National Identification Numbers, NINs, bank account details and ATM card details from unsuspecting retirees.
In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Mohammed, the board said it had received several reports of individuals demanding confidential information from pensioners.
“The Board has received reports that some individuals are demanding personal details such as Bank Verification Numbers, National Identification Numbers, bank account details, ATM card information and other confidential data,” the statement read.
The MPB strongly advised pensioners not to share such information with unauthorized persons, groups or online platforms.It stressed that the Military Pension Board does not use third parties to collect personal or banking details for pension payments, gratuities, loans or any other benefits.
“The Military Pensions Board does not engage third parties to collect pensioners’ personal or banking information for the purpose of processing loans, pension payments, gratuities or any other benefits,” the statement added.
The board urged retirees and their relatives to remain vigilant and report suspicious requests or activities to the appropriate authorities immediately.
It also warned that any request for sensitive information from unofficial sources should be treated with caution to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.