How to spot a fake bank alert in Nigeria
Last reviewed 15 October 2026
The short answer
An SMS alert, a screenshot, a receipt or a WhatsApp message is not proof that you've been paid. Only your own account balance is. Before you release goods, crypto or cash, open your bank app or dial your bank's USSD code and confirm the money is in your balance.
How fake alerts are made
- Fake SMS alerts
- A text made to look like your bank's credit alert, often sent from an ordinary phone number. Real banks send alerts from their official sender name or short code.
- Edited real alerts and receipts
- A genuine alert or transfer receipt with the amount, date or recipient changed. Because it started as a real one, the layout looks right.
- Generated receipts
- Apps and websites that produce a convincing “transfer successful” screen or receipt with any name, amount and reference typed in. Nothing was ever sent.
- Reused screenshots
- The same receipt sent to several sellers. A real receipt records one payment to one person, so the same image reaching different people is a strong sign it's fake.
Before you release anything
1.Check your balance in your bank app
Log in to your bank app, or dial your bank's USSD code, and confirm the money shows in your account balance and transaction history. Ignore the SMS and the screenshot until you've done this.
2.Don’t release on “it’s pending”
Most transfers between Nigerian banks arrive within minutes. If the buyer says the transfer is delayed, processing or reversed by network issues, wait until it reaches your balance. Hold the goods until then.
3.Check the screenshot for editing and reuse
PeerVet's receipt check looks for signs of editing and inconsistencies, and tells you if the same image has been sent to other traders. It checks the picture only: it can't confirm the money arrived, and a well-made fake can still pass. Use it alongside step 1, never instead of it.
4.Check the sender's account
Look up the account number or phone number the payment claims to come from. Other traders may have reported it.
5.For large amounts, ask your bank
If the amount is large or something feels off, call your bank on the number on its official website or the back of your card, and confirm the credit before you hand anything over.
Signs an alert may be fake
- The SMS came from an ordinary phone number, not your bank's usual sender name.
- The balance in the SMS doesn't match the balance in your bank app.
- The buyer is in a hurry and pressing you to release before you can check.
- You're told the money is “pending”, “processing” or delayed by network problems.
- You're asked to refund an “overpayment” before the original payment has cleared.
- The receipt shows success, but nothing has arrived in your account.
A genuine payment can survive every check you make. A fake only survives if you skip one. When in doubt, wait for your balance.
If you've already released goods
- Call your bank straight away on its official number and report the transaction.
- Keep everything: the fake alert or screenshot, the chat, the account number and any phone numbers used.
- Report it to the police or the EFCC.
- Report the account on PeerVet so the next trader who checks it is warned.
Related guides
Got a payment screenshot you're not sure about? Check it for editing and reuse in seconds. Free, no account needed.
Check a payment screenshot