ASABA, Nigeria — The Delta State Police Command has urged Nigerians to always verify the identity of anyone requesting money through WhatsApp, warning that fraudsters are increasingly hacking accounts and using them to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The warning was issued on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in a video made available to journalists in Delta State by the police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, who said criminals now routinely take over genuine WhatsApp accounts and exploit the trust between victims and their contacts.
“Call anyone asking you for money on WhatsApp to verify their identity. That is the only way you can be sure you are not chatting with a hacker,” Edafe said.
According to him, the fraudsters typically begin their schemes by opening conversations with familiar greetings in order to lower suspicion and gain confidence.
He described the pattern of messages that victims often receive.
“Good morning, how was your night? Please, I need your assistance with something. I am trying to send someone money, but it’s not going through. Can you please help me send it to the person’s account? I will send it back to you once my network comes back,” he quoted.
Edafe said that after engaging the victim, the fraudsters then supply bank account details that do not belong to the person whose identity they are impersonating.
“Sometimes, when you question them or insist that they send their own account details, they will insult you and delete the messages,” he added.
He cautioned Nigerians against sending money into any account that does not carry the same name as the person they believe they are communicating with.
Even in cases where the name appears to match on certain digital wallets, he warned that such platforms are still frequently exploited by scammers.
“Please, if anybody sends you an account number that doesn’t bear their name, don’t send money. Even if it is an Opay, Palmpay, or Moniepoint account bearing their name, don’t send it. You can only trust it if it is a conventional bank account,” Edafe said.
The police spokesperson stressed that a direct phone call remains the most reliable way to confirm the authenticity of a WhatsApp request for money.
“Call them directly to be sure the person chatting with you is still in possession of their SIM card,” he said.
Edafe also advised Nigerians to activate WhatsApp’s two-step verification feature as an added layer of protection against account hacking.
He said many victims only realise their accounts have been compromised after friends and relatives begin to report suspicious requests coming from their numbers.
Social media fraud has become a growing problem across Nigeria in recent years, with criminals increasingly shifting from traditional phishing emails to messaging apps that rely on instant communication and social familiarity.
Law enforcement officials say the success of these scams often depends on speed and emotional pressure, with victims encouraged to act quickly without confirming details.
Financial losses from such schemes are rarely recovered, especially when money is transferred into accounts that are quickly emptied and abandoned.
Police authorities say tracing such funds is often difficult due to the use of layered accounts, false identities and rapid withdrawals.
The Delta State Police Command urged the public to treat any unexpected request for money on social media with caution, regardless of how familiar the sender may appear to be.
Edafe said heightened vigilance by individuals remains the most effective defence against online fraud.
As criminals continue to adapt their methods, the police said cooperation between citizens, mobile service providers and financial institutions is essential to reducing the scale of digital fraud.
