The Federal Ministry of Finance has warned job seekers and newly recruited staff to disregard a fraudulent message demanding the payment of a N50,000 administrative fee as a condition for resuming duty.
The ministry, in a statement on Wednesday, described the notice as the handiwork of fraudsters attempting to exploit unsuspecting applicants by falsely claiming to act on behalf of the ministry.
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According to the ministry, the fake notice, titled “Administrative Update and Compliance Notice for Newly Recruited Staff,” falsely instructed successful applicants to pay a non-refundable administrative fee before assuming duty.
The ministry said it did not issue the directive and distanced itself from the message.
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“It is important to state categorically that no such directive was issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the message did not originate from any office or official of the ministry,” it said.
The ministry explained that recruitment into the Federal Civil Service follows established procedures and does not require applicants or successful candidates to make payments at any stage of the process.
“At no stage of the recruitment, documentation or onboarding process are applicants or newly recruited staff required to pay any administrative, processing or resumption fee,” the statement added.
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It urged prospective employees and members of the public to ignore the message and avoid making payments or disclosing personal or financial information to those behind the scheme.
The ministry also called on anyone who receives the fraudulent message or has information that could help identify those responsible to report the matter to law enforcement agencies or notify the ministry through its official communication channels.
The warning comes amid recurring cases of fraudsters impersonating government institutions and agencies to extort money from job seekers through fake recruitment exercises, appointment letters and employment-related fees.
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Government agencies have repeatedly maintained that recruitment into the Federal Civil Service is merit-based and conducted in line with laid-down procedures, stressing that applicants are never required to pay processing, documentation or resumption fees.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness and integrity in its recruitment process, adding that it would continue working with relevant authorities to curb fraudulent activities carried out in its name.
It also advised Nigerians to verify information relating to employment opportunities through official government channels before taking any action.
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