The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have warned candidates preparing for the 2024 UTME against patronising fake websites.
The two organisations gave the warning at a joint news conference yesterday in Abuja.
The force public relations officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the emergence of several fake websites created by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of misleading candidates had been observed, hence the need for candidates to beware of their tactics.
According to him, the fake sites were designed to deceive innocent candidates into providing personal details such as registration numbers, email addresses and phone numbers often exploited for malicious purposes.
“Both JAMB and the Nigeria Police Force condemn these fraudulent activities and hereby reiterate the readiness to safeguard the interests of candidates and maintain the integrity of the examination process.
“We urge parents, guardians and all stakeholders to ensure that candidates print their UTME notification slips only from the board’s approved website: www.jamb.gov.ng.
“Candidates can print their slips from the comfort of their homes or visit any of the over 700 accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.
“Any candidate who visits these fake sites will definitely have unreliable information and thereby miss out in the forthcoming exams.
“Candidates are advised to print their UTME Notification Slips before Friday, April 19, 2024, to access vital information about their examinations,” he said.
He also called on candidates to beware of sites offering ‘live’ questions and answers, as they were false and deceptive, saying that accessing such materials was prohibited.
He further said the board was partnering with the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) to address online scam-related issues seamlessly.
He assured candidates and the public of the force firm dedication to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process.
He also stressed that the Inspector General of Police had ordered the NPF-NCCC to go after scammers and fraudsters who engage in cyber related crimes and create phishing sites/portals.
On his part, the JAMB spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, pledged the board’s commitment to continue to play its role.
He, therefore, urged candidates to ignore any unsolicited messages noting that they were scams aimed at defrauding candidates.
The 2024 UTME is scheduled to commence on Friday, April 19 and end on Monday, April 29, 2024.