By Joke Kujenya
An individual posing as “Dr. Adams Bello, the alleged director in charge of the Empowerment Fund at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment”, has been reported running a scam on social media.
Using the mobile number 08104364395, the fraudster has been deceiving Nigerians into believing they are engaging with a legitimate official.
The impostor has set up a fraudulent Facebook page, claiming to be the Ministry’s Spokesperson, and has been promising financial assistance through the Empowerment Fund.
Victims are told that they must contact the scammer for guidance and communication with the Minister, with WhatsApp presented as the primary platform for interaction. However, the fraudster provides no real-life picture of himself, rather he uses an Artificial Intelligence-generated image to depict his face.
The scammer directs individuals to send personal details, including names, state, local government, email address, date of birth, and the name of a referrer.
In exchange, victims are urged by the “Dr. Adams Bello” to transfer funds to a bank account under the name “Charity Williams” at Polaris Bank, with the account number 3125325932.
This online fraud scheme capitalises on the trust placed in the Ministry’s resources, urging people to send their information for registration and approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Authorities have yet to comment on the case, but the public is hereby urged to remain vigilant not to fall victims and to also report any suspicious activity related to this scam to the relevant authority.
