We often joke about how GoFundMe is the new Nigerian prince scam but check it out, we’ve got an actual case of alleged GoFundMe fraud from Nigeria!
The Lagos State Police Command has waded into the controversy surrounding the #SaveMayowa campaign which a popular blogger described as a fraudulent scheme designed to fleece innocent members of the public.
The campaign which has raised more than N32 million [approx. $100,550US] since it started was embroiled in controversy on Thursday when the popular blogger asked Nigerians not to donate to the fund.
Following this development, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has directed full scale investigation into the campaign.
Owoseni also directed Access Bank to freeze the account opened in the name of the patient, Mayowa.
In a statement issued by Dolapo Badmos, spokesman of the Lagos Police Command, she stated:
”The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni has directed full scale investigation into the report that the *Save Mayowa Campaign* is a fraud.
So, there’s obviously a language barrier here even with an English translation but we were able to find a #SaveMayowa GoFundMe campaign that is still currently up and has raised over $100k US. There was also a second account, alleged to be fraudulent, that appears to have been removed.
Naija247 news also reports that local police in Lagos “have placed a red alert on the access bank account opened in the name of Mayowa as it has been frozen while effort is ongoing to contact the managers of Gofundme online account so as to ensure funds raised through that platform is not fraudulently diverted.”
Cops stated:
”The command wishes to inform all the good spirited people who had donated generously to this course that it will ensure it does not return as a hoax and every outcome of the investigation shall be made open.
”Our heart is with Mayowa at this Critical period of her life and pray she finds healing.”
The Punch has more on this weird case.
