Asob ubok udia, ateme ndisi! I wouldn't vote for the man called Atiku, even in my dream. His plans for Nigeria are so vague - if there exits any. I pray PDP will choose a better candidate.

You're welcome. Thanks for sharing the post too. I wonder why the admins have failed to move it to fp. I feel it's an information worth sharing, to protect innocent citizens.

babane2016:
Thank you bro for this info. I almost fell for the scam

Hello Nairalanders,

Nigeria is a place filled with great people -the good, bad and terrible. Scammers are devising new strategies everyday to steal money from innocent Nigerians, so if you don't want to be played, you've got to be smarter than they are. There is only one thing that can make you outsmart them - information. I have been deceived several times before, but never again.

You may be aware that the World Bank had disbursed a lot of cash to Nigeria to help the country drive development https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/250m-grant-nigerian-youths-yet-accessed-world-bank
At the moment I do not know how the money is being disbursed to states across Nigeria. If you do, please help your brothers here!

When I first heard of the grants promised by a certain "multi-purpose" cooperative society, it sounded good to me; because I thought maybe that its one of the ways one can benefit from World Bank's assistance. I was wrong! I fell prey to a set of scammers -just like thousands of other people.

The objective of this post is to enlighten Nigerians on some of their strategies in order to avoid being a victim. I believe scammers will read this post too; so believe me, they'll tweak a few things and try to get smarter. However, if you're smart enough "by their fruits, you shall know them". Watch out for the following clues.

1. Little investment, huge grants value

Imagine struggling to survive with twenty thousand Naira (N20,000) of monthly income and you're told that you can get five million Naira (N5,000,000) worth of GRANT to start a good business, how would you feel? If you've been played before (or know someone who has been played); you will likely hesitate. If you're naturally doubtful, you may hesitate as well; but if you're ignorant, you'll be played!

2. Fake application form paired with "empowerment programme"

Their form will usually comprise two sections -one for registration to the cooperative society and the other for grants.


3. Fake administrative loop

These guys will usually tell you about President, Vice President, Secretary, Directors, Volunteer workers and Beneficiaries. Based on my assessment, these offices are fake. The people you will ever meet are being used by people they don't even know. They over-labour those guys, misinform them and leave them with no other option than to tell every lie possible -just to give people false hope that the money will be handy very soon.

4. No existing members activity prior to the "grants" period

Their focus will usually be on collecting the grants, meeting dues, false training and the likes. They do not have existing members in local areas -people who were members of the cooperative society before the grants were promised.

5. Flexible deadlines

They'll tell you the closing date for registration is tomorrow, later you'll be told that you've still got a chance to be part of the offer by next week. They may give you stories like: "about one thousand members are required per cooperative society; we've not had enough, hence we can't submit our forms to get the money".

6. Inconsistent contact information

If they have web presence, compare the contact on the form you're given to the contact addresses on their website. They may not correspond!

7. Fake registration with CAC

This is one of the most effective ways to detect these scammers. Copy the RC number they have on their form and verify the number here: https://apps.firs.gov.ng/tinverification/

Check also their registration with CAC here: http://.gov.ng/comsearch/index.php


8. Fake seminars

They'll tell you to attend some kind of compulsory seminar for certification -with which you will be given the "grant". The seminars are usually not free, but at least one thousand Naira (N1000) for registration.

9. Misleading web presence

If you've been on the internet for several years and have been paying attention to the design and content of websites, you will notice an unusual look on their web pages.

10. Unending 'stories'

Your grant will always be near your reach, but never visible. Dates will keep changing, so will their stories be. Sometimes, they'll tell you: "signing of cheques is in progress in Abuja"!


These guys keep refining their plans to make their fraudulent activities very hard to detect. If you've been defrauded in a similar way before, please add your findings as a comment below. Share this post with as many persons as you can, to get them enlightened on the tricks of these fraudsters.

Do well to research new opportunities before committing your money to it. Never let anyone make you spend money in haste (blindly). Shine ya eyes!

God bless Nigeria!


http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2017/09/06/fraud-alert-world-bank-warns-of-co-operative-scheme-scam

cc dominique, FOD, naijacutee, puskin

serialkilla:
what do you mean by disappear for a while?

My understanding of that is: if you want to be successful, put your head down and work hard in silence. When you come up with something remarkable, people will begin to wonder where you've been! Let your achievements make the noise.

Only if it were truly made in Nigeria; great! Bur, some part of me feels like this picture is for show - >90% of parts probably imported!...I don't hate good things; but I'm just kinda thinking aloud. Let's be real 9ja! The lady is cute though.

Ka se mfuon ndito Akwa Ibom! Kai, abiak ake biak!

Leopantro:
REJECTED BY THE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Before I left, I had contacted the Public Health department again, to let them in on the new development, and the fact that we should seriously start making plans of tracing other people that patient zero may have contacted, and exposed unknowingly. Stupid me! But that's how I am wired; I am never really the type who looks out for himself alone.
The Department of Public Health gave me a contact to call in the Teaching Hospital, and convinced me not to embark on a 9 hour journey to Irrua, since I was sick and unstable, and they have an infection control unit in the Teaching Hospital that is well equipped to handle the case. I called the contact, and he said that they've been informed, and that they are READY and waiting for me. By being "ready," they meant Ribavirin, PPEs, and all that. So, I took a detour, and embarked on a 2 hour journey to the Teaching Hospital instead.
When I got there, I got a cold reception. I was kept in the ambulance for 2 hours, from 6.30pm to around 8.45pm, on the pretext that they were "looking for the keys to the isolation ward." I was left out there unattended to, sick, tired from a long journey, and apprehensive. My friends were calling, yelling that I should leave and start going to Irrua. But I reasoned it was already late, and I didn't want to take that risk.
At around 9pm, they finally "found the keys," and I was taken to an isolation ward, in a huge deserted complex.
After one hour of waiting, and of having the clinical staff peer at me through the window, like I was some alien; someone fully kitted with a PPE, came in to see me.
After asking a few questions, he told me outrightly that I was on my own. That the PPE he was wearing was the last in the hospital, and that no one would agree to touch me without it. He went further to say that as it stood then, neither him, nor the hospital, was "officially aware" that I was in there. Talk about "plausible deniability!"
I was shocked to the marrow. The irony of it-- the fact that I risked my own life to take care of someone I didn't know, who wasn't even from the same state as me, without PPEs, and in a Community Hospital, in a remote village! And right there were people, who were meant to be my professional colleagues, my "Hippocratic" and "Nightingalean" brethren, working in a tertiary institution-- supposedly the most equipped hospital in the state, and yet they couldn't do same for me.
I wasn't mad at them though, as I realized that they were as much victims of a shitty system, as I was; for in their eyes, I saw pity, empathy, and shame. Perhaps if they had PPEs they would have done something. Perhaps not. Truth is, we'll never know.
" Okay," I said; "now that you're still wearing PPE, can you at least help me site an IV line, and put me on IV fluids?"
No, can't do; you're not on admission, and like I said, the hospital is not "aware" you're here.
<p> " What of Ribvirin; can I get it and start treating myself?"</p>
No, we can't give you that; we can't give you drugs without a definitive diagnosis.
"Excuse me? You're saying that in the setting of a potentially life-threatening ailment, you'd rather wait for a confirmatory diagnosis that may take days, possibly risking the patient's life, instead of starting life-saving treatment?"
And he said something I considered condescending about the drugs having numerous side effects.
I scoffed. Drug side effects my foot! As if we were not taught about what to do when benefits outweighs risk in medical school.
At this point, there was no need engaging further; it was obvious this people were playing "political correctness" with my life.
Before they left, they said I should continue self-medicating with the ORS and Zinc, that I CAME WITH, to stay hydrated; and that I should be monitoring MY OWN vital signs, and let them know if "something" happens. Right; like if I enter into shock, my ghost would pick up my phone and start making calls, abi?
That was how I was left ALONE in a vast one storey complex, sick, with a thousand thoughts running through my head.
At around 11pm, I decided it was best to check myself out, and go to find a hotel, spend the night, and then continue my journey to Irrua the following day. And no, I didn't care if I was going to be putting the hotel staff at risk; whatever selflessness, and misguided sense of patriotism, I had died in that Hospital where I was left to my fate. If their government didn't care enough to protect them, even when I had tried to make it easier for them, why should I care? Besides, if I was dying, I would rather spend the remaining of my days in luxury, and comfort, and not in a deserted building where my only companions would be my thoughts, and the elements.


Old habits die hard. As I went to that hotel room, I still went with Dettol, and Jik, and made sure I was washing my hands regularly, to minimize the risk of putting anyone at risk. Lol. Stupid me.

FENDING FOR MYSELF: TRIP TO IRRUA

The following morning, we set out for Irrua as early as 6.30 am. It was a long journey that took about 9 hours.
Through out the journey, I was receiving calls, and prayers, from friends, family, and well wishers. They made me feel loved; they made me feel there was good in humanity after all; and that whatever I had done was well worth it.
We arrived at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital at exactly 3.30pm. The first thing I did was to report myself to the Lassa Fever Centre, and have them look for patient Zero's result. It happened that they hadn't even started running the sample, as they were overwhelmed with samples from all over the country.
However, they were humane enough to understand my predicament, and the urgency it required. So, they made it a priority, and included it in the next batch of samples to be run.

THE LONG WAIT
I waited for long for that result. At a point, it was obvious that it was going to be a long wait, so I went and booked myself a hotel room. A consultant in the centre had earlier advised that it may be imprudent to admit me at that time, risking further exposure. Since I was no longer having diarrhea, vomiting, and fever,AT THAT TIME, he said we should wait for the results of patient zero first.
By 10pm, I was still seated outside the lab, waiting. Finally, the door opened, and they told me that they had made a mistake while running the sample, and would have to redo the test. Exhausted and drained, both emotionally and physically, I decided I couldn't wait any longer. So, I went to my hotel room, switched off my phones, and dozed off.

A HAPPY ENDING

The following morning, at around 7.30 am, the lab called me: patient zero's result was negative. And I heaved a sigh of relief. The first thing I did was to call my friends, and family-- beautiful set of people, who had been more worried than I was, and tell them that the battle was over.
On my way back home, I got sick again. So, when I got home, I ran some tests, and it happened what I had was Sepsis, and Malaria with a very high parasite density.
I'm on drugs now, and recuperating fine. And yes, I'm also on sick leave, even though I've been reviewing cases brought to me by my junior colleague on my sick bed
. Yea, they can't take that away from me: love for what I do!
It feels like I have been given a second chance. A chance, not just to live, but also to see more clearly, and realize that this country isn't worth it. Oh well, let's just get well first .....


https://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1348158461955175&id=100002831036954&comment_id=1348210698616618&ref=opera_speed_dial&_rdr

I rarely read long posts like this on Nairaland, but I had to read yours because of who you are -a good person. God bless you for your efforts and keep you alive that you do not die of any epidemic, but at good old age.

It's actually sad that things in Nigeria are not moving well and it's quite complicated, but the simple truth is that - there is misplaced priority in the minds of our leaders. Because of how they got into power and the mindset they had even before getting into office, a typical Nigerian politician wants to enrich himself and his immediate family as much as possible. Virtually all professions in the country are suffering neglect of some sort. I still believe that if we'll remain a country in the next 30 - 50 years, things will get better.

Once again, thank you for your selfless service to humanity; God bless! Our leaders and indeed all citizens need to wake up to reality and act in the interest of our future generation.

talk2docee:
pls how did you deactivate DND on your phone. I need to deactivate mine too... MTN

Bruno3000:
Hi, pls hw did u deactivate the DND frm ur sim?

Send ALLOW to 2442

See full details here: https://mtnonline.com/dnd

npowerng:



Kindly visit your Service provider to Deactivate DND on your line.

Thanks a lot. I've done that. It's too much of unsolicited SMSs that made me activate DND; I don't know what number you use to send the messages; because I still receive other messages except promotional SMSs.

I believe you guys are working hard; but please let's know our fate on time. The month is almost ending -barely 14 days left. Cheers!

npowerng:



After the physical verification all successful applicant were contacted via SMS / Email.
If you were not contacted, that means you did not make it to the final selection.

Thank you.

Hi npowerng. Please I did my physical verification, but I did not receive any SMS or email alert that time; I hope the issue would be resolved when the selected candidates are contacted. I'm an NAgro pre-selected candidate. Thanks.

Sirheny007:
What nonsense?
Wtf about the people with chains about their necks?
whoever came up with that slave concept is indeed a slave.

You have a good sense of humour, but watch closely; those things are not real chains!

npowerng:
Dear 2017 pre-selected applicants,
We will NOT respond to your questions culled from rumours.
Follow the official N-Power channels for information.
You distract us from responding to issues that are genuine.

Nice one though, but I asked on Watsapp how we'll be notified of the next steps (I've done my verification); but I never got a reply up to this moment. Is that a rumour case too? I asked the question because I have not received any of the SMSs sent previously to other pre-selected candidates; and do not wish to miss subsequent info, although I'm following your posts here on Nairaland. Thanks.

DemeUdo:
bro are you in uyo? heard it is ongoing at dakkada house udo udoma. Don't Hw true it is tho

Yes, it's true I was there; the notice there is that it has been suspended till further notice.

npowerng:
Good afternoon,
Tell us, have you started Physical Verification at your end?
#NPowerNG

In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the notice at the verification venue is that the verification exercise has been suspended till further notice. Please what exactly is going on?

npowerng:



Kindly check in your selected Local Government Area secretariat for your physical verification sir.

Due to the holiday affecting some preparatory logistics, take off at Some State LGAs will be delayed

Thanks for being responsive on this platform. I went to the Uyo LGA secretariat (Akwa Ibom State) today and was redirected to another government installation (Dakkadda office), which is okay by me - @ least it's a nice place. But the notice at the verification location there is that the verification exercise has been suspended till further notice. I'm not sure how the notice will be passed on to us.

I believe that if there's a means of communicating with states (at least the local government of the state capitals in Nigeria) and propagating the notice of commencement of the exercise in states; it would make the exercise easier and smarter for the pre-selected Nigerians. 14th December is getting closer and I've not yet been verified. Thank you.

npowerng:


Sorry to disappoint you.
Two things we have said
1. States have different start dates
2. Due to the holiday affecting some preparatory logistics, take off at State LGAs will be

delayed

Thanks for re-emphasizing this point. But how do we know the dates that each state will start the verification? Is there an updated schedule? If yes, please notify us. Thank you.

Hello Nairalanders. Registration for Pan African Universities scholarship is in progress. Please share the link. Someone might need it. Deadline: 31st May, 2017.

https://pau-au.net/en/admissions/call-for-studentsonline-applications