A disturbing trend has emerged on Facebook, where scammers are using the images of well-known Nigerians to attract users to dubious financial offers.
These posts, often promoted with photos of prominent figures, aim to lure unsuspecting users into trading platforms by presenting false promises of wealth.
According to BusinessDay, among those whose images have been exploited is former First Lady, Aisha Buhari. One Facebook page, Dann Films, used her image with a misleading caption, “We say goodbye to Aisha Buhari, the saddest day for Nigeria,” implying her death.
The page, created in 2018, has been linked to multiple administrators under the name “Danny Ting Kts,” according to checks through Truecaller.
In their attempt to deceive users, the page cloned the branding of the Nigerian Newspaper ‘Vanguard’, posting a fabricated headline that read, “Aisha Buhari did not know that the microphone was on, and we are saying goodbye to her forever.”
This tactic has sparked concerns over how scammers are exploiting the identities of Nigerian public figures to manipulate social media users.
A screenshot of Aisha’s image on the Facebook page
However, findings showed that Vanguard did not publish such information.
When the post was clicked, it directed to a website with a different headline claiming, “Central Bank of Nigeria sues Aisha Buhari over statements she made on live television”, with Aisha’s picture, using the front of The PUNCH Newspaper as the source.
The post added, “Live on air, Aisha Buhari regretted revealing the truth. But it was already too late,” but the national newspaper has no such report on its website.
Part of the published misleading information read, “Scandal erupted during a live broadcast, when Aisha Buhari accidentally revealed her secret on the program. Many viewers paid attention to Aisha Buhari’s “accidental” words and started sending messages on the air. However, the show was interrupted by a call from the Bank of Nigeria who demanded that the program be stopped immediately.”
Another image of Kadaria Ahmed used for the same purpose
It claimed to have persuaded the director of the Channels Television program to give a copy of the recording of the program.
“If you’ve had a chance to read this article, keep in mind that it may soon be deleted, as has happened with broadcasting. So if you’ve had a chance to read this article, you should instead check out the link provided to us by Aisha Buhari herself,” it further read.
A screenshot of the misleading post using PUNCH Newspaper
The deleted conversation, it claimed, was between Aisha and one Adline Okere as the interviewer.
In 2022, Channels Television had an exclusive interview with Aisha, where she explained why she apologised to Nigerians over the perceived failure of her husband’s administration to fulfil campaign promises and meet the expectations of Nigerians.
Adline Okere moderated the interview but did not relate to the trading platform or opportunities.
However, the conversation centres on marketing the trading platform with Aisha claiming to have said, “Do you think I don’t work hard enough?” Or that I am not like most Nigerians? Believe me, if I lived on one salary, I’d never have become a millionaire. When someone tells me I’m just lucky, I laugh in their face, because today, there’s everything on the Internet to get rich without leaving your couch.”
Okere responded, “So you’re saying that anyone can make money like you? I don’t believe it…”
However, a major misleading information is that the website addressed Aisha as “him” rather than her.
“You could see just how angry Aisha Buhari was about this sentence (of Adline). She started arguing with the host and accidentally blabbed about the loophole that made him rich”, the post read.
Promoting the platform named Spectrax, 250 dollars is said to be made into millions in 12 to 15 weeks.
It claimed, “this platform is the perfect solution for those who want to get rich quick. It’s built on self-learning artificial intelligence, which exchanges crypto-currencies for you. That is, you don’t need to understand how bitcoin or any other digital currency works – the program determines the best time to buy or sell assets and trades independently. The advantage is that you don’t have to do anything – just make a minimum deposit, wait for the call from the platform operator to sign up and the program will start earning money itself. I don’t just recommend it – I insist that every Nigerian should utilize this platform. And, then, you’ll forget once and for all about the need to work.”
A check on the link directs users to Spectrax, where they sign up before “getting rich”
Findings also indicated that this same technique has been used with images of Channels Television presenter, Seun Okinbaloye; and Journalist Kadaria Ahmed, on different Facebook pages.
A screenshot of Okinbaloye’s use on another Facebook page
Kadaria Ahmed’s image is used for the same technique.
A technology expert, Akinwale Balogun who spoke with BusinessDay revealed that the pages gradually taking over social media are not only misleading but harmful to the platform and its users.
He urged Facebook to take measures to eradicate such posts from its platform.
“The actions of those pages are not only misleading but harmful to users and Facebook itself. Those pages have now seen the social media platform as where they could easily access without any disturbance to execute their businesses.
“I believe there are many reputable channels making (good) use of Facebook. However, it is high time Facebook took measures and address the situation before the pages turn it to what it is not,” he said.
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