The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is warning the general public not to fall for emails claiming to distribute fake cash grants.

The agency is sounding an alarm after would-be victims flagged emails announcing the distribution of Humanitarian Development Cash Grants amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

The UNDP, in a statement, said that it was alerted to a non-existent chairman of a so-called ‘UNDP Grant Programme’.

The email also requests further particulars and issues a grant pin number.

“UNDP wishes to advise the public of the following: (1) UNDP did not issue any such notification; (2) There is no Humanitarian Development Cash Grant issued by the UNDP (3) The email is a flagrant and fraudulent misuse of UNDP’s trusted brand; and (4) The email is false, misleading and inconsistent with our operational standards,” the agency said.

“Further, the UNDP is not affiliated in any way with the signatory to the emails. We urge the public to remain vigilant as various online scams are on the rise.,” it added.