Nigerians are falling victim to scammers posing as investment platforms, losing significant amounts of money in the process. Many are deceived into believing they can earn profits from simple online tasks.
On Monday, a user on X (formerly Twitter), @_Shylad, shared how his sister was duped out of N4.95 million. “She stumbled upon a website promising to pay a portion of her investment and fell for it. She received her first payment and decided to continue,” he wrote.
His sister clicked on an online ad that led her to a WhatsApp number, where she was introduced to a “tutor” who promised to guide her on how to earn. She was added to a “VIP” group and directed to the website https://ttmall247.com. The platform required users to complete tasks under an instructor’s guidance.
By Sunday, others had begun sharing similar stories. A user with the handle @mayowa_rut82382 commented, “I know that website too. They claim you can sell on platforms like Konga, Jumia, and Amazon.”
Another user, @emini6582, described the scheme as “an old scam with a new name and the same tactics.” According to him, scammers lure victims by promising easy money through viewing and engaging with products online.
@soyinka_oba shared his own experience in September, where he initially earned N3,000 for viewing products. He was then asked to invest more to earn higher returns, saying, “I almost got scammed into paying more, but I stopped.”
Similarly, @T_ELLE disclosed that they had lost N310,000 to the same scam earlier in the year. “I hope she gets her money back. I never got mine,” they said.
Chidimma, another victim, recounted her story. She clicked on an Instagram ad in July that sought “remote workers” and was directed to a WhatsApp account. The person behind the account asked general questions about her internet connection and device before introducing her to a task-based earning platform. She registered on a website, paid N400 for registration, and began receiving small bonuses for completing tasks, such as engaging with a product on Jumia.
Initially, she earned N6,000 after investing N30,000, but then the demands escalated. After paying N100,000, she was told she couldn’t withdraw unless she paid even more. The amount kept increasing, and when she eventually paid N200,000, the so-called “tutor” informed her that she needed to invest N900,000 to withdraw her funds and earn bonuses.
At that point, Chidimma refused to pay more, but her previous requests for refunds were ignored. Although she suspected others in the group chat were scammers, everything initially seemed legitimate, with participants sharing screenshots of supposed payments.
Chidimma reported the scam to both her bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), and Moniepoint, the recipient bank, but nearly three months later, she has not received any proper feedback. She also mentioned that there has been no activity in the scam’s WhatsApp group for months.
Source: fij.ng
