Social media users are being targeted by some fake ideas that lures them with so called money making projects. Such an idea called pyramid scheme has been appearing on Facebook and circulating online over the past week, targeting people who may never have heard of it. It is an old-fashioned scam that has been re-packaged for a new generation. The online scammers offer lucrative jobs especially for young women, looking for a job they can do from home. Unaware young people are easy to target by fraudulent groups to siphon off a small amount like Tk 20,000 each from a large number of people.
In 2013, the government banned pyramid marketing bypassing Multilevel Marketing (MLM) Activities (Control) Ordinance of 2013. The law was introduced after several scams like Destiny 2000, Unipay2u and ITCL were busted, which had been embezzling vast amounts of money from clients by selling non-existent products and services. The scams these young people are encountering on Facebook are structured like the now-banned pyramid schemes, albeit on a smaller scale but with a new twist-going online.
Police have received a number of complaints related to such scams based on Facebook Messenger groups. Police have arrested two criminals who embezzled more than Tk 50 lakh, by adding people to their Messenger group, and seized around Tk 6 lakh from them. According to Facebook community standards, it has policies to prevent and disrupt fraudulent activities and removes content aimed at deceiving people deliberately. This includes users not posting content on false recruitment and ponzi or pyramid schemes, confidence schemes, or setting up false businesses or entities.
People don’t report this type of crime when crime is government. Such reporting helps police to proceed with cases but not the victims. All these criminals are connected to government. So, we appeal to cheaters not to cheat the young looking for survival. One way or the other we are all victims of cheating. If want justice and honour we have to make public servants not to be servants of others.
