How can I tell if a bank credit alert is fake?
Never trust the SMS alone. Open your banking app or check your balance by USSD and confirm the money is actually in the account before you hand over goods or cash.
A fake alert is an SMS made to look like it came from your bank, saying money has been credited. Some scammers also send an edited screenshot or a PDF "receipt" of a transfer that never happened.
The scammer usually adds pressure: they are in a hurry, the driver is waiting, the transfer "will reflect soon".
How to confirm a payment
- Log in to your banking app and check the balance, not just the notifications.
- Do not hand over goods until the money shows in your available balance.
- Ignore screenshots and PDF receipts. They can be edited in seconds.
- If the buyer says a transfer is "pending", wait until it clears.
Frequently asked questions
- The SMS came from my bank's name. Is it real?
- The sender name on an SMS can be faked. Only your balance in the app or by USSD tells you the truth.
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