Government has cautioned against the use of fake social media accounts in its name to dupe members of the general public.

In a statement signed by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the public has been advised not to transact any form of financial business with any unverified account supposedly belonging to government officials.

According to the statement, the caution has become necessary as a result of an increase in the use of fake accounts, particularly on Facebook to dupe unsuspecting citizens of large sums of money.

The public is therefore advised to be more cautious concerning their activities on social media, and in the case of such an incident should report the matter to the police immediately.

In the meantime, the government is assuring the general public that security agencies and social media service providers are making the necessary efforts to clamp down on these nefarious activities.

Below is the full press statement.

CAUTION AGAINST FAKE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

The Government of Ghana wishes to caution against the use of fake social media accounts to dupe members of the general public.

These unverified accounts are mostly created in the names of Public Institutions, Ministers, Members of Parliament and other public figures. The accounts are used as platforms to promise jobs, scholarships, contracts and senior high school/ national service placements. In exchange, victims are lured into making advance cash payments to secure the offers.

Since August 2019, Ghana’s Security Agencies have recorded a significant upsurge in the use of fake accounts, particularly on Facebook, to swindle unsuspecting citizens to part with various sums of money and other valuable items.

Though the Security Agencies and Social Media Service Providers are making the necessary efforts to clamp down on these activities, government hereby calls on the general public to heighten its sense of awareness on social media, particularly when dealing with accounts purporting to be those of government officials.

The public is advised not to transact any pecuniary business with accounts of government functionaries via social media and encouraged to report such incidents to the Police immediately.

Government and all other stakeholders shall continue with collaborations to deepen cybersecurity.

Signed,

KOJO OPPONG - NKRUMAH (MP) MINISTER