October 13, 2026
October 13, 2026
Ember Months Safety Tips Every Nigerian Needs Before December
From fake alerts at the market to "Detty December" travel deals that vanish after payment, fraudsters work overtime between September and December. These ember months safety tips show you how to protect your money, your family and your festive plans.
From fake alerts at the market to "Detty December" travel deals that vanish after payment, fraudsters work overtime between September and December. These ember months safety tips show you how to protect your money, your family and your festive plans.
The ember months bring bonuses, travel and shopping, and fraudsters who follow the money. Here are practical safety tips to keep you, your money and your family safe.
The following is an illustrative example. Ngozi's provisions shop in Ikeja was packed the Saturday before Christmas. A well-dressed customer bought ₦185,000 worth of drinks and rice, showed her a transfer "successful" screen, and loaded his car. The alert on her phone looked real. By evening, her bank app showed nothing had arrived.
Every year, the ember months (September to December) bring end-of-year bonuses, Christmas shopping, Detty December parties and long trips home. They also bring fraudsters who follow the money. These ember months safety tips will help you protect your cash, your accounts and your family until January.
Why are scams higher in the ember months?
More money moves in the last four months of the year, and it moves fast. Shops are busy, people are tired, and everyone is in a hurry. Those are perfect conditions for tricks that depend on you not checking.
The numbers show where the danger lies:
Nigerian financial institutions lost ₦25.85 billion to fraud in 2025, according to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). Social engineering, tricking people rather than hacking them, accounted for 47% of fraud volume and ₦17.84 billion of those losses (AllAfrica/Vanguard, 2026).
Lagos alone accounted for over 63% of fraud volume in 2025 (same source).
In December 2025, the Association of Professional Women Bankers urged Nigerians to verify every transaction with their bank and avoid unsolicited end-of-year offers, suspicious links and fake calls (Gazette Nigeria, 2025).
The roads get riskier too. During the FRSC's 2024 end-of-year Operation Zero exercise, 533 crashes were reported, killing 432 people and injuring 2,070 (Radio Nigeria Lagos, 2025).
7 ember months scams to watch out for
1. Fake transfer alerts
A "customer" shows you a debit screenshot or a forged SMS alert, collects the goods and leaves. Traders, POS agents and people selling items online are the main targets, especially when the shop is busy.
2. Festive shopping and giveaway scams
Messages promise "Christmas cash rewards", hampers or 70% discounts from big brands. The link leads to a fake page that collects your card details or bank login. NITDA has warned that scammers impersonate real companies with festive offers to steal personal data and money (Voice of Nigeria, 2024).
3. Fake travel agents and Detty December packages
Cheap flights home, concert tickets and beach-house bookings appear on Instagram and WhatsApp. You pay, receive a "ticket" or booking PDF, and discover at the airport or gate that it is fake.
4. Ghost shortlet apartments
Photos of a lovely Lekki or Abuja apartment, a deposit to "lock" the dates, then silence. The pictures were copied from a real listing.
5. One-chance and fake commercial drivers
Busy parks, long queues and night travel make it easier for criminals to pose as commercial drivers. Passengers are robbed, forced to make transfers, or worse.
6. "Your account has been restricted" calls
A caller claiming to be from your bank says your account is blocked because of "festive season security checks" and asks for your BVN, OTP or PIN to "reactivate" it.
7. Fake end-of-year jobs and loans
Offers of December holiday jobs or instant "Christmas loans" ask for an upfront "processing" or "registration" fee.
Red flags that should stop you immediately
The deal is far cheaper than everywhere else, and it "ends today".
Someone asks you to release goods before the money reflects in your own banking app.
A caller or message asks for your OTP, PIN, BVN or online banking password. No bank needs these to help you.
You are told to pay into a personal account for a company booking.
The seller refuses a video call, a physical inspection or a small first payment.
A link arrives from an unknown number, or a domain that is slightly misspelt.
A vehicle at the park already has "passengers" seated and the driver is in an unusual hurry to leave.
Ember months safety tips: your festive checklist
Situation | Do this | Avoid this |
|---|---|---|
Selling goods or running POS | Confirm the credit in your own banking app before releasing goods | Trusting SMS alerts or screenshots |
Shopping online | Buy from official websites or sellers you can verify | Clicking festive "giveaway" links |
Booking flights or shortlets | Book directly with airlines or verified hosts; pay small first | Paying full deposits to Instagram agents |
Travelling by road | Use registered parks and known transport companies; share your trip details | Boarding half-empty cars at night |
Bank calls | Hang up and call the number on the back of your card | Sharing OTP, PIN or BVN |
Meeting new people | Verify identity first and meet in public | Going alone to a stranger's location |
How to protect yourself this season
1. Treat your banking app as the only proof of payment. Not SMS, not screenshots, not "I've sent it, check again". If the money is not in your app, it has not arrived.
2. Verify before you pay any business. Check the seller's CAC registration on the free CAC public search, confirm the account name matches the business, and search the name online with "scam". Pay a small amount first when you can.
3. Lock down your accounts. Turn on two-factor authentication on your bank, email and social media. Set a daily transfer limit and switch on transaction notifications.
4. Travel smart. Book road trips through known transport companies, travel by day where possible, and share your vehicle details and route with a family member. Our guide to the fake FRSC traffic fine SMS scam explains another trick aimed at motorists. DriveLock helps you know a commercial driver before you enter their vehicle.
5. Be careful with new connections. December brings parties, reunions and new dates. Before you meet someone from online, read how to check if that guy online is real, and use SecureMeet to verify the person and share your location with a trusted contact.
6. Shine your eye on fuel and bulk purchases. With prices high, fake bulk diesel and petrol suppliers are active. See our guide to fuel scams following Nigeria's price hike.
7. Talk to your family. Older relatives and teenagers are frequent targets. Agree on a family rule: no one sends money or shares an OTP because of a call or message without checking with someone else first.
What to do if you've been scammed
Act fast. The first hour gives you the best chance of recovering funds.
Call your bank's fraud desk immediately using the number on your card or official app. Ask them to block your card if needed, flag the receiving account and attempt a recall.
Change your passwords and PINs if you shared any details or clicked a suspicious link.
Keep evidence: screenshots, chat logs, account numbers, phone numbers and receipts.
Report to the EFCC and the nearest police station. Reporting is free.
Warn others. Report the account or page on the platform and tell your WhatsApp groups.
Being scammed does not mean you were careless. These schemes are designed by people who do this full-time. Reporting quickly protects the next person.
FAQ
Why is crime higher in the ember months in Nigeria? More money changes hands between September and December. People receive bonuses, shop for Christmas, travel home and attend events. Markets, parks and roads are crowded and everyone is rushing, which makes it easier for fraudsters and criminals to operate unnoticed. Staying alert and verifying before you pay removes much of that advantage.
How do I avoid fake alerts during the festive season? Only release goods or services after the money shows in your own banking app or USSD balance. Ignore SMS alerts and payment screenshots, which are easy to fake. If a customer insists the transfer has gone, politely ask them to wait until it reflects. A genuine buyer will understand; a scammer will usually get impatient and leave.
How can I spot a fake travel agent or Detty December package? Be wary of prices far below airline or venue rates, pressure to pay immediately, and requests to pay into personal accounts. Confirm any booking directly with the airline, hotel or event organiser using contact details you find yourself. Check the agency's CAC registration, look for independent reviews, and pay a small amount first where possible.
What are the best ember months safety tips for road travel? Travel with registered transport companies from recognised parks, avoid night journeys where you can, and share your vehicle number and route with someone you trust. Never board a car that seems half full with "passengers" in a hurry. If you are driving, get your vehicle checked, avoid phone use and rest when you are tired.
What should I do if I am scammed in December? Call your bank's fraud desk straight away using the number on your card or official app, and ask them to flag the receiving account. Change any passwords or PINs you shared, save all evidence, and report to the EFCC and the police. Reporting quickly improves your chances of recovery and helps protect others.
Conclusion
The ember months should be about family, rest and celebration, not about chasing a bank to recover lost money. Most festive scams depend on one thing: you acting before you check. These ember months safety tips come down to a simple habit of pausing, verifying and then paying.
Profiled Nigeria helps you build that habit. Our verification tools let you confirm people, businesses and products before you transact, our driver checks help you know who is behind the wheel, and our safe-meeting tools let you share where you are with someone you trust. No tool removes every risk, but each check makes you a harder target. Learn more about Profiled Nigeria.
This December, let the only surprise be a good one. Verify before you trust.
Create your free Profiled account today and enter the festive season protected.
The ember months bring bonuses, travel and shopping, and fraudsters who follow the money. Here are practical safety tips to keep you, your money and your family safe.
The following is an illustrative example. Ngozi's provisions shop in Ikeja was packed the Saturday before Christmas. A well-dressed customer bought ₦185,000 worth of drinks and rice, showed her a transfer "successful" screen, and loaded his car. The alert on her phone looked real. By evening, her bank app showed nothing had arrived.
Every year, the ember months (September to December) bring end-of-year bonuses, Christmas shopping, Detty December parties and long trips home. They also bring fraudsters who follow the money. These ember months safety tips will help you protect your cash, your accounts and your family until January.
Why are scams higher in the ember months?
More money moves in the last four months of the year, and it moves fast. Shops are busy, people are tired, and everyone is in a hurry. Those are perfect conditions for tricks that depend on you not checking.
The numbers show where the danger lies:
Nigerian financial institutions lost ₦25.85 billion to fraud in 2025, according to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). Social engineering, tricking people rather than hacking them, accounted for 47% of fraud volume and ₦17.84 billion of those losses (AllAfrica/Vanguard, 2026).
Lagos alone accounted for over 63% of fraud volume in 2025 (same source).
In December 2025, the Association of Professional Women Bankers urged Nigerians to verify every transaction with their bank and avoid unsolicited end-of-year offers, suspicious links and fake calls (Gazette Nigeria, 2025).
The roads get riskier too. During the FRSC's 2024 end-of-year Operation Zero exercise, 533 crashes were reported, killing 432 people and injuring 2,070 (Radio Nigeria Lagos, 2025).
7 ember months scams to watch out for
1. Fake transfer alerts
A "customer" shows you a debit screenshot or a forged SMS alert, collects the goods and leaves. Traders, POS agents and people selling items online are the main targets, especially when the shop is busy.
2. Festive shopping and giveaway scams
Messages promise "Christmas cash rewards", hampers or 70% discounts from big brands. The link leads to a fake page that collects your card details or bank login. NITDA has warned that scammers impersonate real companies with festive offers to steal personal data and money (Voice of Nigeria, 2024).
3. Fake travel agents and Detty December packages
Cheap flights home, concert tickets and beach-house bookings appear on Instagram and WhatsApp. You pay, receive a "ticket" or booking PDF, and discover at the airport or gate that it is fake.
4. Ghost shortlet apartments
Photos of a lovely Lekki or Abuja apartment, a deposit to "lock" the dates, then silence. The pictures were copied from a real listing.
5. One-chance and fake commercial drivers
Busy parks, long queues and night travel make it easier for criminals to pose as commercial drivers. Passengers are robbed, forced to make transfers, or worse.
6. "Your account has been restricted" calls
A caller claiming to be from your bank says your account is blocked because of "festive season security checks" and asks for your BVN, OTP or PIN to "reactivate" it.
7. Fake end-of-year jobs and loans
Offers of December holiday jobs or instant "Christmas loans" ask for an upfront "processing" or "registration" fee.
Red flags that should stop you immediately
The deal is far cheaper than everywhere else, and it "ends today".
Someone asks you to release goods before the money reflects in your own banking app.
A caller or message asks for your OTP, PIN, BVN or online banking password. No bank needs these to help you.
You are told to pay into a personal account for a company booking.
The seller refuses a video call, a physical inspection or a small first payment.
A link arrives from an unknown number, or a domain that is slightly misspelt.
A vehicle at the park already has "passengers" seated and the driver is in an unusual hurry to leave.
Ember months safety tips: your festive checklist
Situation | Do this | Avoid this |
|---|---|---|
Selling goods or running POS | Confirm the credit in your own banking app before releasing goods | Trusting SMS alerts or screenshots |
Shopping online | Buy from official websites or sellers you can verify | Clicking festive "giveaway" links |
Booking flights or shortlets | Book directly with airlines or verified hosts; pay small first | Paying full deposits to Instagram agents |
Travelling by road | Use registered parks and known transport companies; share your trip details | Boarding half-empty cars at night |
Bank calls | Hang up and call the number on the back of your card | Sharing OTP, PIN or BVN |
Meeting new people | Verify identity first and meet in public | Going alone to a stranger's location |
How to protect yourself this season
1. Treat your banking app as the only proof of payment. Not SMS, not screenshots, not "I've sent it, check again". If the money is not in your app, it has not arrived.
2. Verify before you pay any business. Check the seller's CAC registration on the free CAC public search, confirm the account name matches the business, and search the name online with "scam". Pay a small amount first when you can.
3. Lock down your accounts. Turn on two-factor authentication on your bank, email and social media. Set a daily transfer limit and switch on transaction notifications.
4. Travel smart. Book road trips through known transport companies, travel by day where possible, and share your vehicle details and route with a family member. Our guide to the fake FRSC traffic fine SMS scam explains another trick aimed at motorists. DriveLock helps you know a commercial driver before you enter their vehicle.
5. Be careful with new connections. December brings parties, reunions and new dates. Before you meet someone from online, read how to check if that guy online is real, and use SecureMeet to verify the person and share your location with a trusted contact.
6. Shine your eye on fuel and bulk purchases. With prices high, fake bulk diesel and petrol suppliers are active. See our guide to fuel scams following Nigeria's price hike.
7. Talk to your family. Older relatives and teenagers are frequent targets. Agree on a family rule: no one sends money or shares an OTP because of a call or message without checking with someone else first.
What to do if you've been scammed
Act fast. The first hour gives you the best chance of recovering funds.
Call your bank's fraud desk immediately using the number on your card or official app. Ask them to block your card if needed, flag the receiving account and attempt a recall.
Change your passwords and PINs if you shared any details or clicked a suspicious link.
Keep evidence: screenshots, chat logs, account numbers, phone numbers and receipts.
Report to the EFCC and the nearest police station. Reporting is free.
Warn others. Report the account or page on the platform and tell your WhatsApp groups.
Being scammed does not mean you were careless. These schemes are designed by people who do this full-time. Reporting quickly protects the next person.
FAQ
Why is crime higher in the ember months in Nigeria? More money changes hands between September and December. People receive bonuses, shop for Christmas, travel home and attend events. Markets, parks and roads are crowded and everyone is rushing, which makes it easier for fraudsters and criminals to operate unnoticed. Staying alert and verifying before you pay removes much of that advantage.
How do I avoid fake alerts during the festive season? Only release goods or services after the money shows in your own banking app or USSD balance. Ignore SMS alerts and payment screenshots, which are easy to fake. If a customer insists the transfer has gone, politely ask them to wait until it reflects. A genuine buyer will understand; a scammer will usually get impatient and leave.
How can I spot a fake travel agent or Detty December package? Be wary of prices far below airline or venue rates, pressure to pay immediately, and requests to pay into personal accounts. Confirm any booking directly with the airline, hotel or event organiser using contact details you find yourself. Check the agency's CAC registration, look for independent reviews, and pay a small amount first where possible.
What are the best ember months safety tips for road travel? Travel with registered transport companies from recognised parks, avoid night journeys where you can, and share your vehicle number and route with someone you trust. Never board a car that seems half full with "passengers" in a hurry. If you are driving, get your vehicle checked, avoid phone use and rest when you are tired.
What should I do if I am scammed in December? Call your bank's fraud desk straight away using the number on your card or official app, and ask them to flag the receiving account. Change any passwords or PINs you shared, save all evidence, and report to the EFCC and the police. Reporting quickly improves your chances of recovery and helps protect others.
Conclusion
The ember months should be about family, rest and celebration, not about chasing a bank to recover lost money. Most festive scams depend on one thing: you acting before you check. These ember months safety tips come down to a simple habit of pausing, verifying and then paying.
Profiled Nigeria helps you build that habit. Our verification tools let you confirm people, businesses and products before you transact, our driver checks help you know who is behind the wheel, and our safe-meeting tools let you share where you are with someone you trust. No tool removes every risk, but each check makes you a harder target. Learn more about Profiled Nigeria.
This December, let the only surprise be a good one. Verify before you trust.
Create your free Profiled account today and enter the festive season protected.
