FAKE and phishing websites are circulating widely on the internet following the commencement of the recruitment process for constables and specialists of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) which was announced on October 13, 2023.
These web links have been forwarded in closed WhatsApp group chats. It has also been posted on Facebook accounts and groups as seen here, here, and here.
CLAIM
Phishing websites for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) recruitment circulate online.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that multiple websites claiming to be receiving applications for the Nigerian police recruitment which were circulating online are MISLEADING!
When our researcher examined the web link closely, it shows that the domain name shares features synonymous with the majority of phishing websites that The FactCheckHub had reported previously.
When you click on one of the viral links (now deleted),users are not taken to the official website of the Nigeria Police Force. Rather, when you click on the link, it takes users to a site that does not have the name or the logo of the Nigerian police.
What it shows on the home page is ‘Nigeria Police Application’. A close look also shows that some words on the home page of the websites are mis-spelt which is a common feature of phishing links and scams.
On the right side of the page, applicants are advised to fill in their details; after filling, it directs them to another page that ask them to input their name and the role they are applying for. It then leads them to another page where it asks them to share until the green bar is full which is a major red flag that indicates it is a phishing scam.
To apply for the NPF recruitment which closes on the 26th of November, 2023, click their original application portal here.
You can learn more about how to identify phishing scams and websites on our tutorial page.
THE VERDICT
The phishing websites circulating on social media are misleading; they contain features and red flags common to phishing scams. The original link for the application is accessible via: https://apply.policerecruitment.gov.ng
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].
