Fake Exam Alerts Flood Phones, JAMB Warns of Scam Threat

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has alerted the public to fraudulent messages circulating via a spoofed version of its official 66019 shortcode.

The deceptive messages falsely instruct candidates—some of whom have already written their resit exams and received results—to reprint examination slips for another round of tests.

“These messages are not from JAMB,” says Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the board’s Public Communication Advisor. “No additional exams are currently scheduled for resit candidates who have already received their results.”

JAMB clarifies that the only upcoming examinations are for foreign candidates in nine countries across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. A mop-up exam is also planned—but strictly for those with biometric verification failures or valid waivers under the 2025 exception.

“These fraudulent messages are designed to cause confusion,” Dr. Benjamin adds. “We urge the public to disregard them entirely.”

JAMB stresses that all legitimate communications come exclusively from its verified platforms. Candidates eligible for the mop-up examination will be contacted directly once logistics are complete.

The examination body warns candidates to be vigilant and verify all information before taking action. Scammers, it says, are capitalizing on exam season anxiety to exploit unsuspecting students.

Dr. Benjamin concludes, “If you’re not contacted through our official channels, ignore the message. Stay informed, stay safe.”

Gom Mirian-Report

5.6% Miss UTME: JAMB Announces Inclusive Mop-Up Exams

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a fresh round of mop-up examinations to accommodate the over 5.6 per cent of candidates who missed the just-concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, stating that the initiative will cover all affected candidates—regardless of the reason for their absence.

“This time, we are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier exam due to absence will get another opportunity,” he said. “It’s not extraordinary. In any serious system, when students miss an exam, they’re allowed to make up—provided there’s no abuse.”

Oloyede emphasised that the UTME is a placement test, not a measure of intelligence or academic potential. “Its purpose is to rank candidates for limited admission slots, not to test how smart someone is,” he clarified.

Addressing growing criticism and conspiracy theories about the examination process, Oloyede firmly rejected claims of ethnic bias or administrative incompetence.

“I take responsibility, not because I failed, but because that’s leadership,” he stated. “I didn’t even realise people viewed issues around me through ethnic lenses. We must rise above such profiling.”

He praised both candidates and staff for their resilience amid logistical difficulties. “We had limited space. We knew if we wasted more time grieving the challenges, students would lose their opportunity,” he said.

The special mop-up exam will be scheduled soon, and JAMB says it remains committed to transparency and fairness in admissions.

Gom Mirian – Report