Nigeria Customs Service Issues Urgent Alert Over Sophisticated Instagram Vehicle Auction Scam

The Nigeria Customs Service issues a scam alert for the Instagram account @nigeriacustom001, warning the public against fake luxury vehicle auction schemes.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 7, 2026, 3:39 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Nation

Rising Wave of Digital Impersonation Targets Maritime Sector

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has identified a surge in fraudulent activities on social media, where scammers are posing as official representatives to conduct fake vehicle auctions. This warning follows the emergence of several deceptive accounts that leverage the Service’s branding to lure unsuspecting buyers into cut price sales schemes. According to the NCS, these activities represent a significant threat to the integrity of the maritime and port ecosystem, where legitimate auction processes remain a vital tool for revenue generation and cargo enforcement.

Specific Identification of Fraudulent Instagram Trading Accounts

Investigations by the Service have pinpointed a specific Instagram account operating under the handle @nigeriacustom001 and the name J.O ATTAH AUTOS. This page has been falsely presenting itself as an authorized dealer for the NCS, showcasing a catalog of foreign used luxury vehicles including Range Rovers, Toyota Camrys, and Mercedes Benz models. The account provides detailed pricing and contact information to create a false sense of legitimacy, a tactic the NCS describes as a deliberate act of impersonation intended to defraud the public.

Abuse of Officer Imagery to Facilitate Financial Fraud

A critical component of the current scam involves the unauthorized use of a genuine Customs officer’s image to gain the trust of potential victims. The NCS clarified in a formal statement that the officer depicted in these viral posts has no connection to the fraudulent sales and is not involved in any social media car auctions. The Service has applied a "Scam Alert" overlay to the circulating images to ensure that the public can distinguish between verified enforcement activities and criminal attempts to solicit illicit payments.