2015 CBT-UTME: "Upgrade your result to 250 and above" ...scammers target JAMB candidates

Candidates who sat for the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB)'s first full Computer Based Test (CBT), have begun to receive their scores.

Of course, as expected, some scored high enough to hope for admissions while a large number of them will be left wishing it could have been better.

It is for the second group that a notice offering to "upgrade" candidates' CBT scores to "250 and above" has been going around Facebook.

However you look at it, it looks like a scam, even though the poster said the message is "direct from Jamb Office Abuja."

"Call:_081**1288*0 For help on how to upgrade your result to 250 and above.

"This message is direct from Jamb Office Abuja. So Call 081**1288*0 now to score above 250 and for checking and upgrading of score, Pending Results Issues call jamb head office on 081**1288*0 for help," the Facebook notice posted on the 9th by one Prof-Oboh Andrew read.

A similar post made by another person using a Disqus account 'United Bank' offered same services.

"As i speak now my jamb score has been upgraded to 251, all thanks to my brother and Mr. Johnson. Friends you can also get an upgrade score just call him now on his number 0805**225*1," United Bank wrote.

There were five others like this posted on different platforms.

Internet scams have always been a problem for those who embrace the age of digital communication and virtual social interaction.

We are familiar with it but many have fallen victims, mostly to money-related Ponzi schemes that could be boiled down to greed and, sometimes, abject stupidity.

Looking for answers, Student Pulse called two of the numbers used in two separate posts about this "100% guaranteed" score upgrade service.

The first number, used in Prof-Oboh's post, was answered by a male who confirmed that the service was available and asked that we call back later.

When we called the 'United Bank' number, 0805**225*1, a distraught voice answered.

He told Student Pulse that he has been receiving calls from people needing to upgrade their scores but claims he knows nothing about a JAMB score upgrade.

What this implies is that a mega scam might be afoot and JAMB, as well as other security outfits, need to investigate it.

This matter calls for urgency because, as usual, some people will fall victim.

If you want to print your results from the JAMB website, then read: 5 simple steps to check your 2015 UTME results.