FACT CHECK: Facebook crypto page promotes fake scheme with Adesina’s obituary, endorsement by prominent Nigerians

A Facebook user with the name Unión Patriótica Córdoba (translates to: Patriotic Union Spain) is promoting a suspicious crypto project online. To trick many Nigerians into clicking the link posted on Facebook, the user captioned the post: “We say goodbye to Akinwumi Adesina, the saddest day for Nigeria”.

The post, featuring Adesina’s picture, purports the death of the President of the African Development Bank Group to promote its scheme.

Findings show that the Facebook account, created in 2018, is a ‘political organisation’ with over 3,000 followers. It mostly makes campaign posts in Spanish language.

Layers of deceit

Ripples Nigeria also observed that the link displays as a Vanguard newspaper template. However, on clicking on the link, it does not direct to the website of the Nigerian newspaper.

Instead, the link in the fishy post redirects to a website with a purported interview between Adesina and a supposed anchor at ARISE TV, “Zainab Reuben”. In the purported interview, Adesina inadvertently shared information about how he made millions of naira on a crypto investment on a particular platform.

Ripples Nigeria found that the featured image is from an exclusive interview in March, 2024, between Adesina and Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, Arise Business Anchor. In the 58 minutes, 42 seconds interview, the interviewee and interviewer discussed diverse issues about the African continent and Nigeria. However, nowhere in the interview was crypto investment by the name “Eclipse earn” mentioned.

A screenshot of the purported interview.

Further probe by Ripples Nigeria on the website shows that it has another link for registration. On getting to the landing page of the site (fly-direct.com), it shows a registration form. The name on the site is “Eclipse Earn” and it claims to be a “trading platform”. After registering, the website shows a “Thank you for your order!” page.

However, surfing through the website, Ripples Nigeria found that it includes concocted testimonials by wealthy Nigerians such as Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Feminism Otedola, Folorumsho Alakija and a host of others.

The site includes the supposed amount (in $) that prominent Nigerians have made through the investment scheme.

Meanwhile, findings show that the business people and others whose “testimonials” were published on the site have no affiliation with “Eclipse Earn”.

Further investigation into the authenticity of the website shows that it is suspicious. Scamadviser, a platform which rates websites for legitimacy, shows that the “Eclipse Earn” (koaapi.net) has a rating of 56/100.

However, details provided on the legitimacy of the site reveals that the identity of the website owner is hidden and the website has only been “registered recently.”

“Eclipse Earn”

Ripples Nigeria further checks show that there is actually a crypto project by the name “Eclipse Earn”.

According to a recent report, the project cannot be completely trusted as no information about its owners is visible on its website. The report further stated that whole registrants are required to make a minimum deposit of $250 , the platform has no mention of win rate.

Source: Technopedia, 2024.

Crypto fraud is one of the scamming methods online; on average, victims lost a collective $6 billion/year globally to crypto scams throughout 2018–2023.

Conclusion

The Facebook account portraying a death story of AfDB President, Adesina as well as involvement of wealthy Nigerians in a crypto project is fake and malicious.

By:  Quadri Yahya

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