By Bunmi Aduloju

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has warned the public about the proliferation of fake and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated employment letters bearing the names of people unknown to the commission.

In a statement on Tuesday by Eniola Akinkuotu, NUPRC spokesperson, the commission said it had received reports of unscrupulous and criminal elements extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public.

NUPRC said the individuals were demanding money under the pretext of helping the victims secure employment at the commission.

“While the NUPRC has reported the activities of these criminal elements to law enforcement agencies and awaits an outcome of investigation, members of the public are advised to be circumspect so they don’t fall victim,” the statement reads.

The commission said there is currently no ongoing recruitment exercise at NUPRC.

The oil industry regulator added that whenever it decides to recruit, the process would be conducted strictly in line with existing laws and government regulations.

In February, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) also raised a similar alarm, clarifying that the agency was not undertaking any kind of employment into its services at any level.

NMDPRA warned that the actions may be the work of fake recruitment syndicates set up to carry out such fraudulent schemes.

Source: TheCable