News Thumb Magazine ..news reporting..
The Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, (PCC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), James Faleke, has warned Nigerians to be wary of cyber criminals asking unsuspecting online users to pay the sum of N18, 500 to access the empowerment fund from the PCC.
Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, issued this warning, in a statement on Thursdasai
The campaign Secretary urged Nigerians to ignore messages from Facebook, asking them to pay N18,500 to access the fund.
The lawmaker, who also urged Nigerians to ignore messages from his Facebook account demanding money from people, said his Facebook account was hacked and cybercriminals are using it to demand money from people.
Faleke, who disowned the perpetrators of the crime, said: “I have been inundated with reports from several Nigerians about the activities of some unscrupulous elements who hacked my official Facebook account, to extort unsuspecting Nigerians.
“According to them, these individuals requested that the intending beneficiaries should pay the sum of N18,500 into a designated account.
“One of the individuals behind this fraud is also sending messages to unsuspecting victims using the name of a certain Dr Lukman Johnny with phone number 08147136835, and who is said to be a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Abuja,” he said.
Faleke shared a sample of the message which reads; “Dr Lukman Johnny on 08147136835 tell him I directed you. He is the director in charge of the empowerment fund in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture here in Abuja, he will guide you on what to do.”
He said there is no empowerment scheme by the APC campaign council that requires beneficiaries to pay any money.
“I, therefore, wish to put on record that I am not aware of any empowerment fund being allocated or distributed to any individual or group of persons by Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, or by myself.
“At no given time did I initiate such a scheme and will not subscribe to any form of dubious activities of fraudsters.
“While I urge Nigerians not to subscribe to the antics of these criminals, I also wish to appeal to all and sundry to track and report the activities of the criminals to relevant security agencies near them and ensure that they are apprehended and prosecuted,” he said.
