A post on Facebook says former Nigerian vice president Atiku Abubakar is giving out money to Nigerian youths to empower them.
The post, written in the Hausa language, was posted with the logo of UnionMobile, Union Bank’s mobile app.
It reads: “Ina amfani da wannan ’yar karamar damar domin bawa matasan Najeriya maza da mata ’yan kasuwa kudi da kudi (50,000) naira dubu dari da ake bukata domin hada-hadar su.”
This means, roughly: “We are seizing this opportunity to give out money to Nigerian youths, both male and female business owners. We are giving out 100,000 Naira.”
Those interested are told they need to have an account with Union, Unity, FCMB or Keystone banks, and to leave their account details in the comment section.
Then a name and a phone number are listed “for further enquiries”: “Dan karin bayani a tuntubi Yusuf tijjani akan wannan layin.”
Is the former Nigerian vice president giving out money to Nigerian youth? We checked.
Red flags post is a scam
Africa Check phoned the number in the post and the call was answered by someone who did not speak Hausa. When asked about the grants from Atiku Abubakar, he said he invested and dealt in cryptocurrency and explained that he could double someone’s investment within a day.
This is a red flag. The Central Bank of Nigeria has warned Nigerians from supporting speculators and suspicious investment schemes that promise unbelievable returns.
In July 2021, Abubakar refuted rumours that he was giving out cash. It was widely reported in the country’s media.
Other fact-checking organisations also debunked a similar claim spread on WhatsApp.
Beware of revealing private info on social media
Africa Check has debunked several posts claiming influential people and companies were giving out cash and other rewards, most of which were found to be scams.
Like this one, such posts attempt to steal valuable personal information, like bank details.
To help protect yourself online, read our guide to Facebook scams and how to spot them.
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