{"id":14459,"date":"2023-04-17T10:32:28","date_gmt":"2023-04-17T09:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=14459"},"modified":"2023-04-17T10:32:31","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T09:32:31","slug":"zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/","title":{"rendered":"ZoomUpYourLife: How fraudsters manipulate Peter Okoye&#8217;s lottery scheme to fleece unsuspecting Nigerians through fake WhatsApp calls"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><em>For a while now, unproven allegations of fraud against Peter Okoye, the Nigerian music star, have remained unabated. On several occasions, some Nigerians took to social media to allege the musician defrauded them via his Zoom lottery scheme known as ZoomUpYourLife. Despite<\/em> numerous rebuttals by the singer that those behind such were impersonators and should be avoided, many Nigerians continue to fall prey to such scammers \u2013 who deploy sophisticated measures that appear too natural<em> to raise suspicion. In this report, DUBAWA&#8217;s Elizabeth Ogunbamowo exposes the strategies and activities of such fraudsters.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Peter Okoye&#8217;s social media handles showed that he runs a lottery platform known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CoCJFAIsE9o\/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom Up Your Life<\/strong><\/a>. As stated on the Instagram account, those interested in playing the game are requested to subscribe by purchasing tickets on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomlifestyle.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>web<\/strong><\/a>site and after that watch a live draw where the musician usually announces the winners. The announcement is followed by a video call to the winners to congratulate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The exercise continued for months, but in July 2022, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.collinsdictionary.com\/dictionary\/english\/announce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>the musician announced<\/strong><\/a> he had stepped down from anchoring the call sessions with selected winners, citing frequent cases of impersonation. At the time, Mr Okoye also announced that his manager would continue with the sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Prior to that, the singer, better known as Mr P, informed his followers on social media that he had stopped doing video calls with winners while he exposed the tactics of the fraudsters who operate different Facebook pages that are impersonating him, as seen <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PeterPsquare\/status\/1549740912162607105?t=X_Vyi5O2M65ICBV0SMy5qA&amp;s=19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PeterPsquare\/status\/1510230596609531904?t=Yne6XF_nMaTkmBwYT5MFJA&amp;s=19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PeterPsquare\/status\/1518187745595867136?t=eGs_5IVa87Cv_IXNdqI8ew&amp;s=19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">He also <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PeterPsquare\/status\/1580933056252153856?t=MFEEOvH5X6cf0tAAurjh3A&amp;s=19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>sh<\/strong><\/a>ared the legal documents of those caught and charged to court for impersonating him. Not done, the musician warned his millions of followers on social media of existing pages still in impersonation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tears, regrets\u2026victims recount harrowing experiences with Okoye&#8217;s impersonators<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Some victims of the singer&#8217;s impersonators, who spoke to DUBAWA, explained how they lost thousands of naira due to the visual evidence \u2013 which often makes them believe they are actually communicating with the singer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">In most cases, the victims said they were a bit sceptical about the authenticity of the game but after a supposed WhatsApp video call with the musician \u2013 wherein the impersonators allayed their fears&nbsp; \u2013 they ended up getting scammed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The victims, who spoke to DUBAWA, noted that they were sure the musician himself scammed them as he supposedly communicated with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">One of the victims, Jude Ndu, who works as a mason to generate his school fees, insisted that the call was not manipulated, citing the musician&#8217;s reaction to his actions in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;I&#8217;m very sure of what I&#8217;m saying. He called me on a video call and was having a good conversation based on the programme. I was crying,<\/em> and he was telling me not to cry, so you can&#8217;t tell me that it&#8217;s not P-square (Peter Okoye). I&#8217;m talking about video calls, we had a lot of voice calls, but this was a video call. Don&#8217;t allow people to tell you it&#8217;s not Peter Okoye; it&#8217;s<em> him,\u201d he said.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Ndu said he paid N680,000 to the scammers because he wanted more money to pay off his University Tuition, but as it stands, his deposit and expected winnings have gone down the drain, and he has to postpone his much sought-after desire for higher education till a later time due to the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cOn the 28th of February, I was scrolling through social media,<\/em> and I came across the platform Zoom Lifestyle, so I decided to apply. I applied, and he called me on a video call. I saw his face; it was not manipulated. We were having a conversation,<em> so it was not manipulated. He asked me how many tickets I wanted to purchase, and I told him I&#8217;d purchase one for N10,000; I&#8217;m just a student. After payment, he said I won N250,000. I was glad. Afterwards, he sent me a voice note that I should make sure I make good use of the money and not squander it. I was very grateful to him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Ndu added that &#8216;Mr Okoye&#8217; asked him to pay an extra N22,500 fee. When the victim inquired about the fee, the impersonator told him to obey first. Ndu said he obeyed because of the celebrity&#8217;s status and believed he could never be cheated by Mr Okoye.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;After that, he told me a lady would<\/em> call me and that when she calls, I should follow her instructions. She called and demanded N50,000, and the winnings had been upgraded to N500,000. I didn&#8217;t believe her, so I called Peter Okoye on video call again and told him that I didn&#8217;t understand what was happening, but he said I should obey the woman; that video call kept boosting my confidence. I sent up to N250,000 in a day. The network was bad, so I did it through a POS machine. The following day, I called him to send me my money, and he said he had to reach out to someone first. He later called me on a video call, I was crying, and he said I was a lucky person. I<em> have won over N1 million.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The victim added that he might have been hypnotized by the fraudsters as he was just obeying their commands.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cI can&#8217;t explain what came over me. Even the POS operator asked me if I was in the right frame of mind. I said I&#8217;m very sure.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">He said the fraudsters were able to successfully scam him of the amount in bits after several video and voice WhatsApp calls and voice notes in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Another victim, who lost N350,000 to the impersonators, told DUBAWA that the musician (impersonated by a fraudster) called her via video call several times, which strengthened her belief in the authenticity of the scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">She said she had sent money and did not receive anything in return, even though the &#8216;celebrity&#8217; \u2013 referring to Mr Okoye \u2013 called her on video call promising she would get her winnings. She noted that she started crying, and he promised to release the money to her after she paid N51,000 three times. She believed because of his status as a celebrity but was also scammed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"647\" height=\"984\" data-attachment-id=\"14473\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-28-7\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-28.png?fit=647%2C984&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"647,984\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-28\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-28.png?fit=647%2C984&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-28.png?resize=647%2C984\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14473\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-28.png?w=647&amp;ssl=1 647w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-28.png?resize=197%2C300&amp;ssl=1 197w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 647px) 100vw, 647px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Victim&#8217;s chat with fraudsters<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"756\" height=\"1008\" data-attachment-id=\"14471\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-26-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-26.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"756,1008\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-26\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-26.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-26.png?resize=756%2C1008\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14471\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-26.png?w=756&amp;ssl=1 756w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-26.png?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"756\" height=\"1008\" data-attachment-id=\"14472\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-27-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-27.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"756,1008\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-27\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-27.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-27.png?resize=756%2C1008\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14472\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-27.png?w=756&amp;ssl=1 756w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-27.png?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"756\" height=\"1008\" data-attachment-id=\"14466\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-21-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-21.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"756,1008\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-21\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-21.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-21.png?resize=756%2C1008\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14466\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-21.png?w=756&amp;ssl=1 756w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-21.png?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"756\" height=\"1008\" data-attachment-id=\"14467\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-22-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-22.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"756,1008\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-22\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-22.png?fit=756%2C1008&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-22.png?resize=756%2C1008\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14467\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-22.png?w=756&amp;ssl=1 756w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-22.png?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshots of bank receipt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is Mr Okoye actually behind the voice and video calls?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Critical analysis of the <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1p3tB1pxrZfDfkpeKVFw6Cp9CmderkbI_\/view?usp=drivesdk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>voic<\/strong><\/a>e notes some of the victims shared with DUBAWA showed glaring discrepancies in the voice of the celebrity and that of the alleged caller, who, after successfully swindling victims of their money, goes ahead to place a curse on himself and one-half of P-square, if he was trying to scam victims.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can WhatsApp video calls be manipulated?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAWA discovered some desktop software that can be used to manipulate video calls; prominent among them is <a href=\"https:\/\/manycam.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>ManyCam<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 an &#8216;easy-to-use virtual camera and live-streaming software that helps you deliver professional live videos on streaming platforms, video conferencing apps, and remote learning tools.&#8217;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">When installed on a laptop computer, the app allows users to upload a pre-recorded video, after which the user sets the video to fit the screen. The computer camera is subsequently substituted with the ManyCam virtual camera, showing the pre-recorded video on the receiver&#8217;s screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Certain settings on the software allow users to eliminate the original video&#8217;s audio. Thus, the user can speak directly to the receivers reacting to their every action as of the time the call was made.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">For instance, several victims claimed during the call with Mr Okoye (who was impersonated), they started crying, and he (the singer\u2019s impersonator) asked why they were crying \u2014 which strengthened their belief in the authenticity of the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>DUBAWA&#8217;s findings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAWA searched Facebook and discovered countless pages created to play the Zoom lifestyle. A common trend with the page names is &#8220;Zoom&#8221;, &#8220;lifestyle&#8221; &#8220;Giveaway&#8221; &#8220;Mr P&#8221; &#8220;PSquare&#8221; and &#8220;Mr Okoye&#8221; among others. They all have the image of the musician as their profile picture and usually identify as a musician\u2019s brand page. Most pages claiming affiliation with Mr Okoye encourage users to pay a certain amount to win a greater amount.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">As stated in the messages, the higher an individual pays for a ticket, the more chances of winning a huge amount of money. The central message in the Facebook posts is that no one loses in the game as the celebrity (scammers posing as Mr Okoye) uses the platform to give back to his fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">As common with every scam, there are testimonials littered all over the pages of people who claimed they had won some money in the past and got paid.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Also, there is usually a link to a WhatsApp number attached to the bottom of the message encouraging winners to play and receive a video call from the popular musician. Most of the pages are usually open pages on Facebook, making it easy for users to access them, though some closed Facebook groups are involved in the scam.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"941\" data-attachment-id=\"14469\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-24-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-24.png?fit=672%2C941&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"672,941\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-24\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-24.png?fit=672%2C941&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-24.png?resize=672%2C941\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14469\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-24.png?w=672&amp;ssl=1 672w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-24.png?resize=214%2C300&amp;ssl=1 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot of the Facebook page with a link to WhatsApp\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Armed with the above information as well as the experiences of the victims and determined to expose the scammers&#8217; mode of operation, I used pseudo names \u2013 Titilayo Oladunjoye and Titilayo Adedunmoye respectively \u2014 and created a new WhatsApp account for interacting with the scammers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using the created WhatsApp account, I followed the advertised links on several of the pages and spoke to the &#8216;celebrity&#8217; (the scammers posing as Mr Okoye) on numerous occasions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">I observed a pattern in the chats with the scammers. After dropping a WhatsApp message to indicate interest in the scheme, the handler sends a list of packages readily available to the &#8216;player&#8217; with different tags such as &#8216;student&#8217;, &#8216;diamond&#8217;, and \u2018gold\u2019 among others which have different rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"909\" data-attachment-id=\"14470\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-25-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-25.png?fit=672%2C909&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"672,909\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-25\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-25.png?fit=672%2C909&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-25.png?resize=672%2C909\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14470\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-25.png?w=672&amp;ssl=1 672w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-25.png?resize=222%2C300&amp;ssl=1 222w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot of journalist&#8217;s chat with fraudsters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Subsequently, the handlers asked me to submit my personal details alongside bank account details to aid in the quick payment of my winnings immediately after the draw.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"493\" data-attachment-id=\"14465\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-20-10\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-20.png?fit=672%2C493&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"672,493\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-20\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-20.png?fit=672%2C493&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-20.png?resize=672%2C493\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14465\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-20.png?w=672&amp;ssl=1 672w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-20.png?resize=300%2C220&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The screenshot above is the pattern in the messages by the impersonators who consistently assured me that no one loses in the game, a tactic they use to deceive unsuspecting players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">I immediately informed them that my bank account was restricted, hence the need to use another person&#8217;s account, which they accepted. However, this was a means to get the bank account details to ascertain whether the name is Mr Okoye&#8217;s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Afterwards, the account operators called me with the face of Mr Okoye to assure me that I was dealing directly with him. A video of my encounter with Mr Okoye&#8217;s impersonators can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1lLebMcTTr8p43avteXtgwZDYZjhYkqkb\/view?usp=drivesdk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>. In most cases, the voice and mouth movements do not tally and the calls do not exceed 30 seconds, probably so I won&#8217;t detect the scam.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, the caller \u2013 impersonator \u2013 will mute his call, which appears on the screen, to adjust the audio setting to theirs rather than the celebrity&#8217;s voice (Mr Okoye). This occurred at least twice during my encounter with the impersonators.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">During the conversations, Mr Okoye&#8217;s impersonators (obviously operating different Facebook accounts) called me using the same video three different times via three different WhatsApp accounts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Also, in one of the video calls, the &#8216;celebrity&#8217; \u2013 the supposed Mr Okoye \u2013 was positioned downwards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"499\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"14474\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-29-7\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-29.png?fit=672%2C1380&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"672,1380\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-29\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-29.png?fit=499%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-29.png?resize=499%2C1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14474\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-29.png?resize=499%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 499w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-29.png?resize=146%2C300&amp;ssl=1 146w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-29.png?w=672&amp;ssl=1 672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 499px) 100vw, 499px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot of my call with one of Mr Okoye&#8217;s impersonators<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The impersonators have mastered a major line: &#8220;Good afternoon, Titilayo Oladunjoye from Ogun State, how are you doing today? Relax your mind (sic), you&#8217;re dealing with me directly\u2026You have nothing to be worried about\u2026Let me call the next person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The call lasts between 20 seconds to one minute, after which the call ends abruptly. I suspect this encounter gives unsuspecting victims a glint of hope that their story will change for good.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAWA was able to identify this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tv\/CB8GmT8F6Jg\/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>vide<\/strong><\/a>o as one of the common clips manipulated to scam people during this investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The journalist also noticed many unexplained discrepancies in the bank account names provided by the impersonators. Surprisingly, one of them had the exact name of the musician, &#8216;Peter Okoye&#8217; registered with Guaranty Trust Bank, &#8216;0762974909&#8217;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Other accounts provided for payment included Esther Sylvester 1718406713, Access Bank; Peter PSquare 9167298763 Palmpay; Peter Ekuoye, 2736898131, Paga Bank; Samuel Paul, 9037263811, Palmpay; Okoyes Okoye Peter, 9064598785, Palmpay; Pawa (Charity Uwakwe), 9985154483, Providus Bank and David Abraham, 9550452794, Palmpay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAWA reached out to some of the banks in which the operators are registered to identify suspicious activities on the account numbers. However, 48 hours after the enquiry, the mail had yet to be replied to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Facebook pages identified<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAWA observed that some of the Facebook pages had been recently created with the deliberate intention of defrauding people. Some of the pages have as few as five followers. The operators run a Facebook advert, reaching thousands of people with the previous video of Okoye speaking to winners of the lottery scheme.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">They also share winnings from the current Zoom lifestyle game gleaned from Mr Okoye&#8217;s original social media pages to swindle unsuspecting users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Also, testimonials litter the comment section to make others believe the scheme is real. The journalist also discovered that some private Facebook pages were specifically created to this effect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"147\" data-attachment-id=\"14460\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-15-12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?fit=1166%2C167&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1166,167\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-15\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?fit=1024%2C147&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?resize=1024%2C147\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14460\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?resize=1024%2C147&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?resize=300%2C43&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?resize=768%2C110&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-15.png?w=1166&amp;ssl=1 1166w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"204\" data-attachment-id=\"14462\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-17-12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?fit=1177%2C235&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1177,235\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-17\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?fit=1024%2C204&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?resize=1024%2C204\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14462\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?resize=1024%2C204&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?resize=300%2C60&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?resize=768%2C153&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-17.png?w=1177&amp;ssl=1 1177w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"159\" data-attachment-id=\"14461\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-16-12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?fit=1169%2C181&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1169,181\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-16\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?fit=1024%2C159&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?resize=1024%2C159\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14461\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?resize=1024%2C159&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?resize=300%2C46&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?resize=768%2C119&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-16.png?w=1169&amp;ssl=1 1169w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshots of the Facebook pages&#8217; comment section<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"437\" data-attachment-id=\"14463\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-18-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?fit=1240%2C529&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1240,529\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-18\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?fit=1024%2C437&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?resize=1024%2C437\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14463\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?resize=1024%2C437&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?resize=300%2C128&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?resize=768%2C328&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-18.png?w=1240&amp;ssl=1 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"471\" data-attachment-id=\"14464\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/zoomupyourlife-how-fraudsters-manipulate-peter-okoyes-lottery-scheme-to-fleece-unsuspecting-nigerians-through-fake-whatsapp-calls\/image-19-10\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?fit=1251%2C576&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1251,576\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image-19\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?fit=1024%2C471&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?resize=1024%2C471\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14464\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?resize=1024%2C471&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?resize=300%2C138&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?resize=768%2C354&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-19.png?w=1251&amp;ssl=1 1251w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another page\u2019s comment section<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">While the Facebook pages are numerous, the journalist was able to identify the following pages: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tmicayandafanspage?mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom Lifestyle Giveaway By Mr Peter Okoye<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/m.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100090394809978\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom Lottery Mr P<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100089906723616&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Zoom Lottery Giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100091357893715&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom Lottery giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100091766191468&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Mr P Zoom Lifestyle Giveaway<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100091477182965&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom lifestyle ticket<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100090348851421&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Mr p Zoom lifestyle giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100089759443644&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>zoomlifestyle lottery giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zoomupyourlifestyle24\/?mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom lifestyle&#8217;s giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100089793280106&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Zoom lottery giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100079407459885&amp;mibextid=ZbWKwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Gotv<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/535583951389465\/?ref=share&amp;mibextid=NSMWBT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Peter okoye Zoom giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/2290817731068800\/?ref=share&amp;mibextid=NSMWBT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Peter okoye zoom giveaway<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">One of them, with over 7,000 members, known as Mr P Zoom Giveaway Lifestyle, also deploys the same tactic, encouraging followers to pay a small amount in exchange for a higher amount.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Truecaller: Who are the actors behind the scam?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAWA further made use of Truecaller, an app that helps users in the identification of callers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">I inputted some of the numbers that called the victims and me on the True Caller app, and some of the names provided included: Momin, Ope Malas, Kawu Umar Auta, Mr P, Mr P Zoom, P, Amir K Mata, Mr P Okoye, Mr P Okoyi, Xpark Nigeria.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">From my observation, the names might not be the true identity of the person operating the phone numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mr Okoye&#8217;s team reacts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">When DUBAWA contacted Mr Okoye&#8217;s team via a telephone line attached to his social media handles, a member of the team said the musician had called out the impersonators on several occasions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The team member, who refused to be identified, said: &#8220;He (Mr Okoye) has debunked that several times and told his followers on all his social media handles that he has stopped calling people and he keeps warning people, yet some keep falling for this no matter how many times he has warned people.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Many victims, who spoke to DUBAWA, called for Facebook to take down the pages impersonating Mr Okoye while urging security operatives to ensure they are brought to book.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For a while now, unproven allegations of fraud against Peter Okoye, the Nigerian music star, have remained unabated. On several occasions, some Nigerians took to social media to allege the musician defrauded them via his Zoom lottery scheme known as ZoomUpYourLife. Despite numerous rebuttals by the singer that those behind such were impersonators and should be avoided, many Nigerians continue to fall prey to such scammers \u2013 who deploy sophisticated measures that appear too natural to raise suspicion. In this report, DUBAWA&#8217;s Elizabeth Ogunbamowo exposes the strategies and activities of such fraudsters. Peter Okoye&#8217;s social media handles showed that he runs a lottery platform known as Zoom Up Your Life. As stated on the Instagram account, those interested in playing the game are requested to subscribe by purchasing tickets on the website and after that watch a live draw where the musician usually announces the winners. The announcement is followed by a video call to the winners to congratulate them. The exercise continued for months, but in July 2022, the musician announced he had stepped down from anchoring the call sessions with selected winners, citing frequent cases of impersonation. At the time, Mr Okoye also announced that his manager would continue with the sessions. Prior to that, the singer, better known as Mr P, informed his followers on social media that he had stopped doing video calls with winners while he exposed the tactics of the fraudsters who operate different Facebook pages that are impersonating him, as seen here, here and here.\u00a0 He also shared the legal documents of those caught and charged to court for impersonating him. Not done, the musician warned his millions of followers on social media of existing pages still in impersonation.\u00a0 Tears, regrets\u2026victims recount harrowing experiences with Okoye&#8217;s impersonators Some victims of the singer&#8217;s impersonators, who spoke to DUBAWA, explained how they lost thousands of naira due to the visual evidence \u2013 which often makes them believe they are actually communicating with the singer.\u00a0 In most cases, the victims said they were a bit sceptical about the authenticity of the game but after a supposed WhatsApp video call with the musician \u2013 wherein the impersonators allayed their fears&nbsp; \u2013 they ended up getting scammed.&nbsp; The victims, who spoke to DUBAWA, noted that they were sure the musician himself scammed them as he supposedly communicated with them. One of the victims, Jude Ndu, who works as a mason to generate his school fees, insisted that the call was not manipulated, citing the musician&#8217;s reaction to his actions in real-time. &#8220;I&#8217;m very sure of what I&#8217;m saying. He called me on a video call and was having a good conversation based on the programme. I was crying, and he was telling me not to cry, so you can&#8217;t tell me that it&#8217;s not P-square (Peter Okoye). I&#8217;m talking about video calls, we had a lot of voice calls, but this was a video call. Don&#8217;t allow people to tell you it&#8217;s not Peter Okoye; it&#8217;s him,\u201d he said. Ndu said he paid N680,000 to the scammers because he wanted more money to pay off his University Tuition, but as it stands, his deposit and expected winnings have gone down the drain, and he has to postpone his much sought-after desire for higher education till a later time due to the experience. \u201cOn the 28th of February, I was scrolling through social media, and I came across the platform Zoom Lifestyle, so I decided to apply. I applied, and he called me on a video call. I saw his face; it was not manipulated. We were having a conversation, so it was not manipulated. He asked me how many tickets I wanted to purchase, and I told him I&#8217;d purchase one for N10,000; I&#8217;m just a student. After payment, he said I won N250,000. I was glad. Afterwards, he sent me a voice note that I should make sure I make good use of the money and not squander it. I was very grateful to him.\u201d Ndu added that &#8216;Mr Okoye&#8217; asked him to pay an extra N22,500 fee. When the victim inquired about the fee, the impersonator told him to obey first. Ndu said he obeyed because of the celebrity&#8217;s status and believed he could never be cheated by Mr Okoye.\u00a0 &#8220;After that, he told me a lady would call me and that when she calls, I should follow her instructions. She called and demanded N50,000, and the winnings had been upgraded to N500,000. I didn&#8217;t believe her, so I called Peter Okoye on video call again and told him that I didn&#8217;t understand what was happening, but he said I should obey the woman; that video call kept boosting my confidence. I sent up to N250,000 in a day. The network was bad, so I did it through a POS machine. The following day, I called him to send me my money, and he said he had to reach out to someone first. He later called me on a video call, I was crying, and he said I was a lucky person. I have won over N1 million.&#8221; The victim added that he might have been hypnotized by the fraudsters as he was just obeying their commands.\u00a0 \u201cI can&#8217;t explain what came over me. Even the POS operator asked me if I was in the right frame of mind. I said I&#8217;m very sure.&#8221; He said the fraudsters were able to successfully scam him of the amount in bits after several video and voice WhatsApp calls and voice notes in between. Another victim, who lost N350,000 to the impersonators, told DUBAWA that the musician (impersonated by a fraudster) called her via video call several times, which strengthened her belief in the authenticity of the scheme. She said she had sent money and did not receive anything in return, even though the &#8216;celebrity&#8217; \u2013 referring to Mr Okoye \u2013 called her on video call promising she would get her winnings. She noted that she started crying,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14468,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1572,1574],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[1920],"class_list":["post-14459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-explainers","category-media-literacy"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-3Ld","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":1920,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"elizabeth-ogunbamowo","display_name":"Elizabeth Ogunbamowo","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7043a07f4ff292637cb75d13c8340fa9afb2ec87eceec4eedd980077c8bfd304?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-23.png?fit=650%2C556&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14459"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14475,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14459\/revisions\/14475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14459"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=14459"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=14459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}