Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation has warned motorists against fraudulent text messages and websites claiming that recipients have been issued traffic offence fines.
The ministry said the messages are designed to deceive unsuspecting motorists into surrendering sensitive personal and banking information or making payments through unauthorised channels.
In an advisory issued on its X handle on Friday, the ministry urged members of the public to ignore unsolicited traffic violation messages and avoid clicking on unverified links.
Motorists were specifically advised not to provide personal or banking details or make payments through third-party platforms linked to suspicious traffic fine messages.
The ministry said some of the fraudulent websites and messages are designed to look like legitimate platforms where motorists can settle alleged traffic offences.
It also warned motorists to be cautious of websites or individuals offering discounts on traffic penalties.
According to the ministry, Lagos State does not offer discounts on traffic penalties through any of its platforms, adding that official statutory fines are fixed.
Motorists were advised to verify traffic tickets and check their vehicle status only through approved Lagos State platforms.
The ministry identified payvis.ng and tms.lagosstate.gov.ng as the official platforms for accessing the relevant traffic-related services.
The public was further urged to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited messages concerning alleged traffic violations and to verify their authenticity before taking any action.
The warning comes amid concerns over fraudulent online platforms targeting motorists with fake traffic offence notices and payment requests.
