The Public Relations Officer Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Joseph Attahon on Monday advised Nigerians to be careful of the activities of Internet fraudsters who are advertising vacancies in the Service.

Attah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the Service is aware that Internet fraudsters are on the prowl, taking advantage of the desperation of job seekers to extort money from them.

“I want Nigerians to know that Customs is not recruiting currently and we don’t know how many times we have to say this.

“You see all sorts of advertisement on recruitment on social media such as replacement. I don’t know who one wants to replace,” Attah said.

He noted that in para-military or military recruitment, there is no word like replacement.

He explained that when the Service recruits personnel, they go through a process of documentation after which they are given service numbers, trained and commissioned.

“You cannot replace anybody. We have arrested a number of internet fraudsters and even secured some convictions in 2017, yet people will not resist the temptation by these fraudsters,” said Attah.

According to him, when members of the public see advertisement for replacement of personnel, which requires them to part with money, it should call for caution.

He therefore urged job seekers to be cautious and ask why the fraudsters avoid personal contact with them.

He also said by giving private bank account numbers for job seekers to pay money into, when they are supposed to be dealing with a government organisation, should also make the job seekers suspicious.

He advised job seekers to dismiss any recruitment process that begins and ends outside Customs premises, saying they should go to the nearest Customs formation to verify such claims before parting with money.