Magnus Eze, Enugu
The South East zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned operators of Ponzi schemes to desist from the criminal act or leave the zone.
This came as clampdown on fraudsters parading as promoters of empowerment schemes by the Ebonyi State Government in collaboration with security agencies has yielded positive result.
The anti-graft zonal head, Usman Imam, urged people to be wary of fraudsters who disguise as poverty alleviators just to fleece them of their hard earned money by promising them mouth-watering return on investment within a very short period.
Imam, who spoke in Enugu named some of the phoney schemes to include the “Let’s partner with you, Ksley Mega, MMM and recently, LOOM.
He however, blamed the electronic media, especially radio stations, for knowingly or unknowingly, offering platform for operators of ponzi schemes, who pose as genuine businesses to thrive.
“How many of these stations have taken it upon themselves to investigate the authenticity of such bogus claims being advertised on their airwave?
‘’ We are using this opportunity to warn all operators of Ponzi schemes in the zone to stop their notorious activities or relocate to other places as we are coming after them,” he warned.
The Ebonyi State government has said that it had apprehended and frozen the accounts of five purported non governmental organisations that had defrauded residents of the state.
Commissioner, Ministry of Human Capital Development and Monitoring Uchenna Orji in a statement at the weekend listed those affected to include Immaculate Charity Foundation, Shekinah Empowerment, Genesis Empowerment, Family Joy and Trust as well as Arocom Foundation.
He urged victims to come to the ministry with full details and evidence of the monies they paid to the fraudulent organisations,.
The commissioner also assured that government will track and recover whatever that was duped from them.
“All concerned are to note that all refunds by these blacklisted organisations shall be made only to the victims who have been documented and certified by the ministry. This is to avoid possible evasion and or further scam by this band of empowerment marauders,” Orji stated.
