MTN raises alarm over fraudulent promos

Leading Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, has raised an alarm over the usage of its name and trade marks for fraudulent promotions in the country, saying it does not use Short Messaging Services (SMS) to call up winners.

Disclosing this in a media briefing in Lagos, the chief marketing officer (CMO), MTN Nigeria, Mr. Bola Akingbade, accompanied by the Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Wale Goodluck, among others, warned that Nigerian subscribers on the network to be wary of fraudulent promotions being perpetuated by a few Nigerians, insisting that
MTN does not have any promo tagged ‘Yello Hunt.’

MTN, Akingbade also said concluded its successful Treasure Hunt last February and subscribers need to be cautioned because the operator has never used SMS to notify any winner in its promo, but maintained that any campaign by MTN is carried out to compensate loyal customers and prizes presented publicly.

Hence, the telco has no reason whatsoever to demand sending of recharge cards for winners to redeem their prizes.

“Nigerians must be wary of what scammers are doing. MTN runs promos to reward customers and when people win, we call them and not via text messages,” he declared.

Akingbade equally warned subscribers to disregard any such SMS even if the scammers use his name or the names of any of MTN’s management staff as the sender.

“It does not mean it’s from us and we (MTN) don’t require you (subscriber) to bring this and that before claiming your prize in any of our promos,” he cautioned.

Akingbade explained that the moment a winner emerge in any of the promos and such a person can show proof of ownership, “we will give you your prize.”

Also speaking, the Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Wale Goodluck warned Nigerians, especially those on MTN network not to divulge any of their details to anybody for the sake of releasing their promo prizes.

“Don’t give out any details, be it an account number, Personal Identification Number (PIN) or any other personal details, because MTN does not need such information to redeem your prizes,” he advised.

Citing an instance, that even the MTN Treasure Hunt that ended last month, some Nigerians are still receiving SMS on that, insisting that MTN has no new promo called ‘Yello Hunt’ as being insinuated by fraudsters.

According to Goodluck, in recent times, MTN Nigeria has been mindful of couple of scams and noted that it’s very necessary to warn Nigerians of this ugly development.

Stressing that technology is a good omen, but a few faceless Nigerians are deploying it negatively, which does not help in the drive to rebrand Nigeria as a country.

MTN Customer Care line, 180, he said, has even been cloned and could be used by these fraudsters to send messages that negate the purposes of technological development, which Nigerians are in dare need of.

Goodluck further decried a situation that has given rise to duplication of the operator’s real website.

“The best thing to do when you receive these fraudulent messages is to simply ignore them and delete. Never you reply them,” he advised.

In her comment, General Manager, Corporate Services, Mrs. Funmi Omogbenigun, reiterated that winners in any MTN promos are published in national dailies and MTN official website.

She counseled anybody in doubt to make good to contact any of the MTN friendship centres nationwide.

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