Kenyans, Don't Fall for Scam Facebook Page Promising Huge Rewards for Joining the Illuminati

9 June 2023
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Dancan Bwire

The Facebook page Freemason in Kenya promises huge cash rewards to people in Kenya willing to join the Illuminati.

The idea of the Illuminati is a popular conspiracy theory, referred to by Vox news as "shadowy cabals that supposedly control the world". UK-based broadcaster BBC has also discussed it at length.

One of the posts on the page, dated 7 June 2023, reads: "REVERSE CALL ... JOIN UPATE BONUS YA 70,000KSH KAMA NI MARA YA KWANZA TUMA NENO JOIN."

This mix of English and Kiswahili translates to: "Reverse call and join to get KSh70,000 bonus. If it is your first time, just send the word 'JOIN'."

Reverse Call is a service by Safaricom, Kenya's largest telecoms company, that allows a customer to make a call that the receiver pays for.

The "Freemason" in the page name appears to imply that it is being run by the Freemasons, which Britannica describes as "the largest worldwide secret, oath-bound society that conceals at least some of its rituals, customs or activities from the public". A number of myths and conspiracy theories surround the Freemasons.

To entice users, the posts on the page feature images of people with bundles of cash and high-end vehicles.

But are the offers and the Facebook page to be trusted? We checked.

Another scam

The page has aggressively advertised the phone number "0708880060". We texted "JOIN" to the number and quickly got a call back, from a different number, acknowledging our request.

But initial conversations with the caller quickly revealed his intentions. He informed us that we had qualified for a KSh70,000 bonus and that it would be sent to our mobile money number only if we deposited a small fee as an "offering".

We asked why it could not be deducted from the "bonus" we had been awarded instead and were told off "for lacking seriousness". Having to pay a fee beforehand for offers on social media is usually a clear indication of a scam.

Africa Check has debunked similar Facebook pages trying to scam unsuspecting users with promises of instant riches.

To protect yourself from online scams, read our guide to Facebook scams and how to spot them.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

Tagged:
Copyright © 2023 Africa Check. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.