ABUJA — The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued an urgent public advisory warning Nigerians against a fraudulent social media campaign claiming that a free National Identification Number (NIN) data correction portal has been opened.
In an official statement released on Tuesday via its verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, the commission unmasked the viral post and its accompanying links as a highly sophisticated phishing scam explicitly engineered to harvest personal details and compromise unsuspecting citizens.
Anatomy of the Scam
According to digital security checks and historical scam patterns monitored by fact-checkers, the fraudulent campaign thrives on “engagement bait.” Cybercriminals lure victims with the false promise of a cost-free, federal government-mandated modification window.
Upon clicking the unauthorized links, users are directed to a deceptive interface where they are prompted to:
- Input sensitive demographic parameters (names, phone numbers, and dates of birth).
- Share the malicious link with 15 friends or five distinct WhatsApp groups to trigger a fictitious verification SMS.
Cybersecurity experts warn that interacting with these platforms exposes individuals to extreme identity theft, financial fraud, and unauthorized database exploitations.
Database Remains Intact, NIMC Assures
Amid rising public anxiety over data integrity, NIMC explicitly assured the public that the National Identity Database is securely insulated against unauthorized external breaches.
”We assure citizens that the National Identity Database is secure and fully protected,” the commission stated.
The agency emphasized that it has not deployed any open-ended external links for free modifications on third-party social platforms, urging the public to aggressively boycott such notifications.
The Official Route for NIN Modifications
To mitigate the menace of digital impersonation, NIMC reminded citizens that legitimate data modification—including names, dates of birth, phone numbers, and addresses—carries regulatory processes and official statutory fees.
For genuine updates, the commission directed citizens to rely exclusively on two verified methods:
- The Official Self-Service Portal: Citizens can log on directly to the automated portal via [https://selfservicemodification.nimc.gov.ng](https://selfservicemodification.nimc.gov.ng) to update specific fields by uploading statutory documents (such as National Population Commission certificates for age corrections or court affidavits and newspaper extracts for name changes).
- Authorized Enrolment Centres: Physical visits can be made to verified NIMC offices and licensed partner locations nationwide.
NIMC further reiterated that valid information regarding identity updates will only be broadcasted through its official website (www.nimc.gov.ng) and verified corporate communication channels. Members of the public are advised to remain highly vigilant and report any suspicious platforms attempting to broker identity-related services outside approved frameworks.
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