A warning has been issued to tourism and culture players in the country about fraudsters posing as government-licensed consultants for COVID-19 palliatives.
The warning was given by Otunba Segun Runsewe, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in a statement on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.
He revealed that scammers pretend to be government-licensed consultants and financial consortia with powers to provide post-COVID-19 palliatives and sundry investment titles for a fee.
Runsewe stated that their mode of operation included the presentation of well-articulated proposals, showing fictitious and forged references backed by an enticing financial intervention.
The director-general mentioned that the scammers’ fake proposals were packaged to suck up the unassuming and simplistic individual and state government.
He subsequently warned industry players and institutional investors in culture and tourism to be watchful.
Runsewe noted that the NCAC would resist every ploy to use the initiatives of the government on palliatives and other commitments as a tool to defraud operators.
His words:
“We have been receiving calls from stakeholders around the country, drawing our attention to these individuals and their activities.
if left unchecked, “the scammers may ruin our efforts to build trust and confidence between registered operators and financial institutions on one hand and between federal government and state governments on the other hand.
As Chairman of the implementation committee on COVID-19 palliatives and President, World Craft Council, Africa region, I will put up measures with security agencies to expose these individuals.
In coming weeks, we will interface with both private sector players, financial institutions and state governments on what is going on in the system.
We are aware that certain gaps are being exploited by these smart guys who are not working alone. They have insider contacts, all primed to deceive and cheat people of their legitimate resources in the name of helping them to access funds and credit waivers.
… Nothing should be done under the table so that innocent stakeholders are not taken advantage of by well-polished scammers.’’
