A Lagos-based digital marketer came across an internship opportunity at the Lagos Fashion Festival (LFF) on February 7, prompting immediate interest due to its promising prospects.
Adebayo, who also engages in online promotion of fashion brands and startups, revealed to a source that he secured an interview after applying for the position on February 16.
“I stumbled upon the internship opening on Instagram two weeks ago and applied immediately. When I received an invitation for an interview, I was thrilled to attend,” Adebayo recounted.
Upon arrival, Adebayo found himself among other candidates, each handed internship forms before proceeding for individual interviews. However, his excitement was short-lived when Al-ameen Babatunde, the founder, interrupted his pitch midway, stating that while the fashion academy typically costs N150,000, interns could avail it for a discounted rate of N15,000, payable before 4 pm that same day.
Fearing losing his spot amidst stiff competition, Adebayo hastily made the payment, receiving a message confirming his updated profile and instructing him to appear on February 20.
N45,000 UPGRADE SCAM
Returning to LFF premises on February 20, Adebayo encountered Babatunde again, who informed him that the N15,000 internship offer had expired, necessitating an upgrade fee of N45,000.
“On that Tuesday, I met another individual who disclosed being asked to pay N45,000 for the same slot I had secured for N15,000. Suspicions arose, but it was challenging to pinpoint,” Adebayo explained.
“During our conversation with Babatunde, he stated that the N15,000 slot opportunity had closed, necessitating the N45,000 upgrade. Interestingly, the individual who was asked to pay N45,000 had already paid N20,000, unbeknownst to Babatunde.
“From that moment, it became evident that the entire internship scheme was fraudulent. Seeking a refund on February 21 proved futile, as Babatunde cited a no-refund policy, despite witnessing refunds being issued to others that same day.
“Efforts to contact their support via WhatsApp were fruitless, with claims that the refunds granted were merely ‘favors.’ Subsequently, I discovered that I had been blocked on WhatsApp, cutting off communication.”
A DECEPTIVE ENTERPRISE
The Lagos Fashion Festival, organized by Zamantee African Entertainment Network, faces severe scrutiny for allegedly deceiving individuals in their business dealings. Screenshots obtained reveal instances of individuals duped by LFF, including an actor who paid N250,000 for a lead role in a movie that never materialized.
Upon reaching out to LFF regarding these allegations, they responded dismissively, stating, “We have over 50 interns doing well. There is nothing to clarify here,” in defiance of the accusations.
Source: fij.ng
