Military pensioners under siege as fraudsters hunt for BVNs, ATM details

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File image of military pensioners.

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By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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Military pensioners across the country are facing a growing threat from fraudsters seeking to steal their personal and banking information under the guise of processing pension benefits.

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The Military Pension Board, MPB, has raised the alarm over what it described as an identity theft scheme targeting retirees and their next of kin, warning them against disclosing sensitive details such as Bank Verification Numbers, BVNs, National Identification Numbers, NINs, bank account information and ATM card details to unauthorised persons.

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The Board said it had received reports of individuals impersonating pension officials and agents in a bid to obtain confidential information from unsuspecting pensioners, prompting an urgent fraud alert to retirees and their families. In a statement by the Board’s Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Mohammed, the Board said: “The Board has received reports that some individuals are demanding personal details such as Bank Verification Numbers, National Identification Numbers, bank account details, ATM card information, and other confidential data.”

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It cautioned pensioners against engaging with unauthorised individuals, groups or online platforms requesting such information.

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“Pensioners are strongly advised not to disclose such information to any individual, group, or platform that is not officially authorised by the Military Pensions Board,” the statement said.

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The Board further clarified that it does not use third parties to collect personal or banking information for the processing of pension-related benefits.

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“The Military Pensions Board does not engage third parties to collect pensioners’ personal or banking information for the purpose of processing loans, pension payments, gratuities, or any other benefits,” it stated.

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The Board urged retirees and their families to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious requests for information to the relevant authorities.

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“Any request for such information from unofficial sources should be treated with caution and reported to the appropriate authorities,” the Board warned.

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