The Nigeria Revenue Service, NRS, has alerted members of the public to disregard a fake recruitment advertisement currently circulating on social media and other online platforms in the name of the defunct Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.
The Service raised the alarm in a statement issued on Sunday, warning unsuspecting Nigerians, especially job seekers, not to fall victim to fraudsters who are using the name of the former FIRS to deceive and extort money from the public.
According to the NRS, the fake notice is titled “Federal Inland Revenue Service – FIRS Job Vacancy – Replacement” and it falsely claims that there are employment opportunities available in the organisation for qualified Nigerians.
The fraudulent publication directs interested applicants to submit their personal details, curriculum vitae and other credentials through an unauthorised email address created by the scammers for their dubious activities.
The Nigeria Revenue Service stated categorically that the recruitment notice did not emanate from it and should be regarded as fake, misleading and intended to defraud innocent citizens who are desperate for jobs.
It explained that since the transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service following recent reforms in the revenue administration system, the name FIRS no longer exists as a recruiting body.
The Service stressed that it has not authorised or commenced any recruitment exercise at the moment, and has not asked any individual, agent or third party to recruit on its behalf or to collect money from applicants.
It noted with concern that fraudsters have continued to use the name of government agencies to circulate fake job adverts online, asking unsuspecting applicants to pay certain amounts of money to secure employment slots.
The NRS therefore advised Nigerians to be vigilant and to disregard the said recruitment notice in its entirety, warning that anyone who deals with the fraudsters does so at his or her own risk and may lose money in the process.
It also urged members of the public to always verify information about recruitment into the Service through its official website and other authorised communication channels before taking any action or submitting their personal information.
According to the Service, all genuine information regarding recruitment, when it becomes necessary, will be properly announced through its verified website, official social media handles and reputable national newspapers, and not through random email addresses.
The management of the NRS emphasised that it will never ask applicants to pay money to be recruited, and that any notice asking for payment for job application, processing fee or replacement fee is clearly a scam and should be ignored.
It said the security agencies have been notified of the activities of the fraudsters circulating the fake FIRS job vacancy notice, and efforts are being made to track down those behind the criminal act and bring them to justice.
The Service called on Nigerians who may have already submitted their details to the fake email address to be cautious and to report the matter to the nearest security agency, as their personal information could be used for other fraudulent purposes.
It also advised job seekers to be wary of unsolicited messages and emails promising them jobs in government agencies, especially those that request for money, bank details or other sensitive personal information.
The warning from the Nigeria Revenue Service is coming at a time when unemployment remains a major challenge in the country, making many young graduates vulnerable to fake job adverts promising quick employment into federal government agencies.
Many Nigerians have in the past fallen victim to similar fake recruitment notices in the name of the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Central Bank of Nigeria and other federal parastatals, losing huge sums of money.
The NRS reiterated its commitment to transparency and due process in all its operations, assuring Nigerians that whenever it needs to recruit new staff, the process will be open, competitive and widely publicised through appropriate and credible channels.
Meanwhile, members of the public have been urged to share the disclaimer widely to prevent more people from being deceived by the fraudsters circulating the fake “FIRS Job Vacancy – Replacement” notice online.
For now, the Nigeria Revenue Service says no recruitment is ongoing, and Nigerians should disregard any information to the contrary and rely only on information posted on its official website and authorised platforms for authentic updates about the Service.
