Trust Nobody, Not Even the “Reliable” Ones

From radio stations to influencers, the face of fraud is getting smarter — and more familiar.

Every Nigerian living in Nigeria must have heard about CBEX and how they scammed people out of their hard-earned money.

While everyone has been quick to judge the victims, I honestly don’t blame them.

I mean — it was well planned. They had an office. Real people you could meet and interact with face-to-face. Even a radio station interviewed CBEX officials and aired it.

I mean, who would believe a radio station would promote a scam?

The signs were there, yes, but CBEX made sure they looked clean. Too clean.

Imagine this: I come to you with a cup of water. You saw me fetch the water yourself. I swear to you it’s juice. Then I bring three people you respect to vouch for me. Some even sip it and say, “Yes o, na juice.” You might end up believing it too.

I’ve seen a lot of celebrities, influencers, and even respected people promote scams. And the sad part is CBEX is not the first and it will definitely not be the last.

Of all the influential figures I’ve seen promote scams, the one named in the image above shocked me the most. Like, how much could they possibly have offered him that he does not already have?

I won’t name names, but there’s this shopping app that many people I rate have promoted with their full chest. Meanwhile, someone close to me got scammed using that same app. The chances of getting something original from there? 50/50.

See ehn, don’t do anything blindly just because someone swore it’s legit. Yes, there are credible influencers and trustworthy voices out there. But the problem is, there are just as many (if not more) shady ones. And trust me, dem no dey write am for face.

A brand owner can have a million bad reviews and just post a few well-edited fake good ones. Suddenly, they look squeaky clean.

I’ve seen public complaints go viral, only for the same service provider to come online talking like nothing happened — with enough confidence to almost convince you they’re actually good.

Just because someone claims they sell original gold doesn’t mean it’s true.
Even if they boldly say, “Come and arrest me if it’s fake,” it still doesn’t make it real.

PEOPLE LIE FOR MONEY.

I’m an influencer too, and I try my best to avoid promoting any brand I’m not familiar with because tbh, if I don’t know you, convincing people to trust you is hard.

I avoid anything that requires people to part with their capital. I avoid anything financial. I always find a solution when followers come to me with complaints. And thankfully, there are many others like me who actually care about their audience.

But again — don’t trust anybody.

People betray the people closest to them. Husbands harm wives. Parents hurt children. Siblings turn on each other. And it’s a stranger you want to put all your trust in? LOL.

There was even a Ponzi scheme that was promoted by a church.

No shade to the church o — I’m sure even the pastor believed it was real.

May God continue to help us.

Be vigilant. Ask questions. Do your own digging. And when in doubt — wait.

In this world where scammers now wear suits, speak fluent grammar, and sometimes even go on radio, the least you can do for yourself is stay sharp.

Trust carefully. Move wisely.

And always remember:
Even “reliable sources” get it wrong.

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