Alatbywema.com, a newly created website designed to defraud users of AlatByWema, has started phishing for sensitive information of Wema Bank users under the pretext of securing their accounts.

FIJ discovered that the website, created on July 30 by someone in the United States, mirrored AlatByWema’s identity to send text messages to inform users that a strange number had been added to their profile.

In a text message sent to a Lagos resident on Tuesday morning, the imposter claimed that a phone number had been added to her profile and instructed her to log into alatbywema.com to remove the number if she hadn’t added it.

While AlatByWema communicates with its users via text messages from “ALATbyWEMA,” the impostor used the sender ID “ALATbyWema.” The official website of AlatByWema is online.alat.ng, whereas the impostor’s website is www.alatbywema.com which closely mirrors the genuine site.

Although AlatByWema’s website indicates its licensing by the Central Bank of Nigeria, this is not reflected on the impostor’s site. However, the fake website can detect genuine Wema Bank account numbers, allowing only real accounts to proceed to the stage of entering sensitive details.

FIJ contacted AlatByWema to verify if they were aware of the “new website,” but the representative confirmed that their only official website is online.alat.ng