The Delta State Police Command has issued a strong warning to Nigerians, urging them to be extremely cautious with their ATM cards as cybercriminals now require only basic card details to drain bank accounts.
According to the police, fraudsters are exploiting information such as the card number, expiry date, and CVV to initiate unauthorized transactions. Alarmingly, these crimes can be executed without physical access to the card or the victim’s mobile device.
The advisory was issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday.
He wrote:
“Please take care and be careful in handling your ATM cards. Only a picture of these details in the hands of scammers, your money is gone. They don’t need to have your PIN or your phone.
They are not required to have an OTP. All you will see is debit upon debit until your money is completely wiped out. Take care of your cards, and don’t use your cards to send people on errands to help you buy anything. Don’t say the Police did not tell you. Peace ✌️”
The police urged the public to avoid giving their ATM cards to others, stop sharing card images via social media or messaging platforms, and regularly monitor their bank transactions for unusual activities.
This warning comes in the wake of a growing wave of card-related fraud across Nigeria, as cybercriminals adopt more advanced methods to bypass traditional banking security systems.
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ADEOLA KUNLE
