The Ghana Police Service says it has recorded a worryingly increasing number of advertisements aimed at “luring people into dubious activities that are claimed to generate riches overnight”.
These charlatanic activities, according to the Police, are assuming serious security implications.
“The activities, which often begin with misleading advertisements on some mainstream and social media platforms, lure unsuspecting members of the public, including children, and deceive them into engaging in dubious acts in the hope of getting rich overnight.”
According to Police investigations, “the upsurge in such activities have contributed to serious crimes such as defrauding by false pretenses, kidnapping, and even murder.”
Furthermore, some recent notorious cases attributable to the phenomenon include “the Mankesim murder case, where the suspects, under the pretext of sending their victims abroad, murdered them for ritual money and the Kasoa case, where two teenage boys murdered their colleague, also for ritual money”.
In line with this, the public is being reminded that “charlatanic advertisement are not just unethical, but criminal and punishable under the laws of Ghana”.
“We, therefore, urge operators of electronic communication networks, providers of electronic communications and broadcasting services to rise to their responsibilities and not allow their platforms to be used in the promotion or advertising of such activities.”
