IN SHORT: If you’re looking to turn your luck around and make thousands of nairas “every six hours”, this Facebook page claims it can help you get there. But be warned, it’s a scam. You’ll end up losing money instead of making more.
The Facebook page Airopay Investment Platform is offering a life-changing financial opportunity to Nigerians.
In a 17 September 2023 post, the account says: “AIROPAY INVESTMENT PLATFORM is real, legit and genuine forum, AIROPAY is here to eradicate poverty and restore the lost joy of people who has lost before in platforms like this--Join AIROPAY now and your life would never remain the same.”
The post also says the platform pays out within four hours and includes a WhatsApp link for further engagement.
Airopay is a Nigerian company licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to offer financial services. It also operates in Ghana. Through its app, customers can register, fund their accounts and make transactions.
We found similar posts here and here.
But is this Facebook page legit and can the investment offer be trusted? We checked.
Tip: try to find the official page or account
African Check found what appears to be the company’s official Facebook page - Airopay Inc. It has over 5,000 followers.
In a post on 8 March, this page flagged some accounts “impersonating” the company and urged users not to follow or engage with them. In another post, it seemingly cautions Ghanaians against doing business with some accounts that are out to defraud the public.
“We have recently become aware of fraudulent activities in Ghana where individuals have created fake accounts, addresses and Forex trading platforms using our brand name. These fraudsters have been preying on vulnerable citizens in Ghana, duping and extorting them,” the account wrote.
The Airopay Inc page was created in January 2019. Although the page appears to be legit, and links to the company’s website, it is not verified by Meta.
‘Airopay Investment’ cannot be trusted
A closer look at the Facebook page in question – Airopay Investment Platform – reveals some signs of a scam.
First, it asks users to reach out via WhatsApp. We clicked on the WhatsApp link provided, pretending to be interested in the investment opportunity. During our conversation, we were asked for personal details, such as name, phone number and location. We were also asked to provide our bank account number, amount to invest and mode of payment. This information could be used to commit fraud in the user’s name.
Second, the opportunity explained to us was called “Meta Mining Investment” and not “Airopay Investment”. We were told an investment of N50,000 would see a return of the same amount every six hours.
This is a red flag. Investment platforms are not likely to deliver such huge returns in a day. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crime Commission warned the public against investing in businesses that offered unrealistic returns.
Last, the suspicious Facebook account was only created on 17 September 2023. It changed its profile and cover photos a day later and started promoting “Norland Investment”. This means it has introduced three different investment platforms to users, which is another red flag.
Africa Check has previously investigated similar false investment schemes here, here, here, here, here and here.
To protect yourself, read our guide to Facebook scams and how to spot them.
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