By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State government has warned members of the public to be cautious of scammers masquerading as palliative givers.

Handing down this warning in a statement titled “Govt. Disowns Scam Message Claiming FG 5B Naira Anambra State Subsidy Palliative,” the Press Secretary to Anambra State Governor, Christian Aburime, described the claims of the scammers as deceptive and malicious.

Aburime said that any legitimate palliative programme initiated by the Federal Government for the people of Anambra State, in addition to the one announced recently by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, would be announced through official channels

The statement partly reads: "The attention of the Anambra State Government has been called to the circulation of a fraudulent message titled “WELCOME TO FG 5BN NAIRA ANAMBRA STATE SUBSIDY PALLIATIVE.”

“This deceptive message falsely claims to be issued by the Anambra State Ministry of Finance, and it purports to offer financial relief to the people of Anambra State from the Federal Government.

“We hereby categorically state that the message isa malicious scam, and it has absolutely no association with the Anambra State Government or any of its agencies.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this criminal attempt to exploit the hopes and needs of our citizens under the guise of offering “subsidy palliative.”

“The state government urges Ndi Anambra to exercise extreme caution and refrain from opening the provided link or entering any personal information as requested by the scam message. This scam is designed to steal sensitive data and compromise the security of individuals.

“It is crucial to note that any legitimate palliative programme initiated by the Federal Government for the people of Anambra State, in addition to the one announced recently by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, will be announced through official channels."

While noting that the Anambra State Government was committed to transparency, he said government would ensure that any such disbursement was communicated through its verified platforms and trusted news outlets.

“As the State government remains dedicated to the utmost welfare of Ndi Anambra during these challenging times, we implore all citizens to remain vigilant, disregard and report any suspicious messages or activities to the appropriate authorities,” the statement added.