Scam Alert: Cameroonian Journalist Ade Divine Loses Facebook Page to Fraudsters

The scam unfolds as follows: Scammers approach influencers with lucrative offers to run advertisements on their Facebook pages. They promise significant payments—often around $600 per ad for a 24-hour period—claiming the ads will be posted in the right side column under the ‘sponsored’ section. The arrangement seems foolproof, with payment supposedly made upfront via PayPal, Bank Wire, or other convenient methods.

However, once the influencer agrees, the scammers request access to the Facebook ad account. They send a link that, when clicked, grants them full admin access to the page. Within minutes, the legitimate owner is locked out, and the scammers sell the page on a marketplace.

Ade Divine fell prey to this ruse after receiving messages from scammers posing as a reputable advertising firm. The messages, filled with enticing details and a promise of high earnings, seemed legitimate. The scammers provided convincing screenshots of ads, albeit using outdated Facebook formats. 

The message read:
```
Hey there,

We are collecting traffic for our site. We will only give you 1 ad a day that you can post on the page. We will pay you $600 per ad for 24 hours, and payment will be made in advance.

If you’re interested, please respond to me as soon as possible. Thank you.
```

After agreeing to the terms and clicking the provided link, Ade Divine was abruptly removed as an admin from his own page. Despite reaching out to Facebook’s help team, the process to recover the account has proven frustratingly slow, with no immediate solution in sight.

Preventive Measures for Cameroonian Influencers

To avoid falling into such traps, influencers are advised never to grant third-party advertisers access to their Facebook Business Manager accounts. Additionally, they should be wary of clicking on links sent via email that could grant administrative rights to others. 

A New Beginning

Despite this setback, Ade Divine has resiliently created a backup page to continue delivering exciting sports updates to his followers. He urges his audience to join and follow his new page to stay connected.

Community Awareness

We at Cameroon Concord hope that by sharing Ade Divine's experience will help other Cameroonian bloggers and influencers recognize and avoid similar scams. By staying vigilant and cautious about who is granted access to their social media accounts, influencers can protect their digital presence from malicious actors.

In the meantime, the community's support for Ade Divine’s new page signifies a collective resilience and commitment to safeguarding against cyber threats. 

Follow Ade Divine's new page for the latest sports updates and support his ongoing efforts.