Government cautions citizens over bogus embassy job offers.

The federal government is cautioning Nigerians to be wary of a fake diplomatic recruitment message circulating online, which it has described as a scam designed to trick unsuspecting individuals, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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This warning was issued in a press statement signed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, on Saturday, and it alerts the public to the false message claiming to offer employment in the Nigerian Diplomatic Service under the Consular Section of Nigerian embassies abroad.

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The ministry has explained that the fraudulent message also falsely claims that some applicants have been shortlisted for diplomatic appointments and instructs them to make payments for the processing of a so-called “credence note”, a communication that is entirely fake and the handiwork of fraudsters seeking to extort money from unsuspecting Nigerians.

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The ministry has stressed that Nigerian missions abroad are currently not recruiting and has warned the public not to fall victim to the scam, emphasizing that recruitment exercises into the Ministry and the Nigerian Foreign Service are not conducted through email messages, WhatsApp platforms, or unsolicited contacts.

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It has been clarified that all legitimate recruitment into the Nigerian Foreign Service is conducted officially through the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the ministry has reiterated that no fees are required at any stage of recruitment or diplomatic postings within the ministry or Nigeria’s missions abroad.

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The Ministry has stated unequivocally that the communication is fake and misleading and the handiwork of unscrupulous elements seeking to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, and that the Ministry does not authorise any individual or entity to request payments on its behalf for employment or diplomatic appointments.

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The fraudsters have been accused of deliberately attempting to mislead the public by referencing security clearance procedures and falsely attributing the message to the Ministry’s spokesperson, with the statement noting that the inclusion of a reference to DSS clearance and attribution to the ministry’s spokesperson in the fraudulent message is a deliberate attempt to deceive the public.

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The Ministry has advised members of the public to completely ignore such messages and report anyone demanding money for diplomatic appointments or recruitment, urging victims or persons who may have received similar messages to report immediately to security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services.

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The Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, integrity and the protection of Nigerians from fraudulent schemes, adding that enquiries and verification should only be made through its official communication channels, as stated by Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Ojukwu, according to Favour Ulebor, Abuja.