NNPC reveals the truth behind financial schemes circulating on social media

• The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has described arsenic fake a fiscal strategy presently circulating connected societal media
• The authorities lipid steadfast said the video is AI-generated and features a cloned dependable of the main enforcement serviceman of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari.
• NNPC disclosed it has nary specified concern scheme, calling the video fake, fictitious and warned Nigerians to beryllium connected alert

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported connected tech, energy, stocks, concern and the economy for implicit a decade.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has disclaimed a fiscal strategy purportedly sponsored by the nationalist lipid company.

The institution disclosed this successful a station connected X and signed by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.

An AI-generated video clones the dependable of Bayo Ojulari, NNPC CEO, to beforehand a fake concern scheme. Credit: NNPC
Source: Twitter

NNPC alerts Nigerians connected fake concern scheme 

The institution said that NNPC has nary specified concern strategy and asked Nigerians to disregard the video, which was shared by Mensageiro de Cristo connected Facebook.

NNPC said the video was fake and AI-generated with a cloned dependable of the new radical CEO of the company, Bayo Ojulari.

He said the video was promoting a fictitious poorness alleviation programme.

He said the promoters of the fake strategy hazard prosecution if they persist.

Microsoft lists 3 AI scams

The maturation of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) globally comes with a batch of downsides, particularly successful Nigeria, which is emerging arsenic Africa’s integer powerhouse.

According to experts, by 2030, Nigeria’s integer marketplace volition deed $27 billion.

However, this maturation comes with challenges, particularly regarding cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, the managing manager of Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, Ola Williams, said the tech company’s latest probe shows a disturbing trend.

He disclosed that AI-powered scams are increasing astatine an alarming complaint globally.

Williams noted that arsenic Nigeria’s integer marketplace grows, the hazard of cyber threats grows, showing the urgent request for robust information measures to support gait with the integer growth.

Microsoft Nigeria pass Nigerians

He disclosed that AI is lowering the barroom for cyber fraudsters, making it easier and cheaper to make mind-boggling, but believable contented for attacks astatine an alarming rate.

Experts person said Nigeria experienced a crisp summation successful cyberattacks successful 2024, with AI raising the standard and precision of attacks connected a ample scale.

Additionally, fake representation incidents successful Africa soared sevenfold from the 2nd 4th of 2024 to the 4th quarter, arsenic AI tools enabled fake identities, manipulating biometric data.

Bill Gates' tech institution alerts Nigerians connected 3 types of AI scams. Credit: Bloomberg/Contributor
Source: Getty Images

The types of AI scams

According to Williams, AI exertion is allowing criminals to entree tools to make deceptive scams, saying that the quality to gully connected fake merchandise reviews, AI websites, fakes, and dependable cloning allows scammers to make to expand.

He said it is indispensable for businesses and individuals successful Nigeria to beryllium alert of developments arsenic the trends go progressively fashionable and sophisticated.

E-commerce scam

Data from Statista shows that Nigeria’s e-commerce adoption is connected the rise, with idiosyncratic entree surpassing the determination average.

However, the summation of AI has enabled the accelerated instauration of fraudulent e-commerce sites that mimic morganatic ones, making it challenging for consumers to differentiate betwixt the genuine and the fake.

AI-generated merchandise descriptions, images, and reviews hoodwink customers into trusting these fraudulent merchants.

Also, AI-powered chatbots complicate issues, allowing imaginable customers to interact with customers, delaying repayments with excuses and manipulating complaints.

Employment and occupation fraud

Findings amusement that occupation and employment scams are besides connected the increase.

Legit.ng reported that the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) alerted Nigerians astir fake occupation offers.

The New Telegraph reported that Generative AI has enabled scammers to make fake occupation listings, profiles, and email campaigns, targeting susceptible and hopeless individuals, and mounting up AI-powered and automated interviews.

NNPC speaks connected the capableness of the PH refinery

Legit.ng earlier reported that NNPC confirmed that, contrary to what the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) claimed, the aged Port Harcourt was operating astatine 90% capacity.

PETROAN said connected Thursday that the refinery was moving astatine 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90%.

The institution besides addressed an allegation by 1 of the assemblage persons, Timothy Mgbere, that the refinery was not worthy celebrating, arsenic it was simply blending and had pushed retired aged stock.

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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, transcript exertion astatine Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng