Access Bank Plc has warned Nigerians to steer clear of fraudulent WhatsApp investment groups masquerading under the name “Value Growth Club,” saying scammers were illegally using the identity of its former Group Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, to lure unsuspecting members of the public into fake investment schemes.
In a public disclaimer issued yesterday, the bank said the fraudsters were falsely presenting themselves as associates of Aig-Imoukhuede and linking his name to Gotham Capital in a calculated bid to lend credibility to the scam.
Access Bank said checks had confirmed that Aig-Imoukhuede has no affiliation whatsoever with the WhatsApp groups or any related investment platform, stressing that the respected banker neither created, endorsed, nor authorised any initiative known as “Value Growth Club.”
The lender emphatically stated that its former chairman was not involved in any WhatsApp-based investment competition, trading group, or financial initiative tied to Gotham Capital or any similar entity, and described the representations as false, misleading, and fraudulent.
It urged members of the public not to join the groups, or send money, or disclose personal or financial information to anyone claiming to be associated with the purported platform.
The bank also advised individuals who may have encountered the groups to exit immediately, report the accounts through appropriate channels, and ignore further contact from the operators.
The warning comes amid heightened regulatory concern over the proliferation of digital investment scams in Nigeria.
Earlier this year, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) similarly flagged the Value Growth Platform, warning that the entity displayed characteristics consistent with a Ponzi-style operation.
The commission said the platform had portrayed itself as a sophisticated investment service offering market intelligence, portfolio guidance, and third-party trading services, but investigations showed that its claims were misleading and potentially unlawful.
Festus Akanbi
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