From: Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Unkown persons suspected to be fraudsters have infiltrated the Delta State scholarship scheme where they have been defrauding innocent students and parents of different sums of money.
The suspected cyber fraudsters were said to hacked into the scheme’s internet base and gave out its web address for students to register for the Students Special Assistance Scheme, one of the scholarship schemes of the state government.
The prospective beneficiaries of the scholarship who students of the state origin in tertiary institutions across the country, according to investigation, were asked to make an online registration of N1,000 each as processing fee, to be eligible.
Although, the number students who had been hoodwinked in the process said to have been going on for over a month, could not ascertained, a source confided in our correspondent that a significant percentage of students had fallen victim already.
Meanwhile, the state government appears to have stepped in, as it has urged all students to discountenance any form of online registration not authorised by the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board.
In a public announcement signed by the Director of Information, Mr. Paul Osahor insisted that it is only the board that is permitted by law to handle any issue relating to Students Special Assistance Scheme (SSAS) in the State with an official website.
According to the public announcement, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, the board is currently paying students the 2015/2016 bursary, adding that the board is waiting for the Governor’s approval to enable the it open the website for the 2016/2017 registration exercise.
“Parents, guardians and students of Delta State origin are advised to take note of the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board website and be guided so that they don’t fall into wrong hands of dubious persons who want to cash in on the ignorance of the students to dupe them of their hard earned money,” it noted.