In a startling revelation, popular Kenyan entertainer MC Zaku has blown the lid off Kameme FM’s alleged deceptive practices during their paybill games. The exposeé, shared on Facebook, accuses the MediaMax-owned station of orchestrating a staged show, where purported winners are, in fact, actors following a script.
According to MC Zaku’s detailed account, the alleged winners are carefully coached on what to say during the show, feigning genuine surprise and happiness upon being announced as winners. He contends that the entire process is meticulously stage-managed, raising serious concerns about the authenticity of the station’s paybill games.
In the shared screenshots on MC Zaku’s account, one can glimpse a purported conversation involving one of the alleged actors. The content of these messages adds fuel to the claims of a premeditated setup, as the individual seems to follow a predetermined narrative.
The exposé not only accuses Kameme FM of misleading its audience but also asserts that the station is exploiting unsuspecting listeners, siphoning their hard-earned money through what appears to be a manipulated gaming system.
This scandal has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with users expressing their shock and disappointment at the allegations. Many are calling for a thorough investigation into Kameme FM’s practices, demanding accountability for what could be perceived as a breach of trust between the station and its audience.
MediaMax, the parent company of Kameme FM, has not yet responded to the allegations. It remains to be seen how the station will address the controversy and whether regulatory bodies will step in to investigate the claims made by MC Zaku.
As the story unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and integrity in the media industry. The repercussions of such allegations can have a lasting impact on a station’s reputation, emphasizing the need for thorough scrutiny and accountability in the broadcasting sector.
For those interested in following the developments closely, MC Zaku encourages staying tuned to his account and promises more revelations. As the scandal continues to unravel, it raises questions about the credibility of similar interactive programs across various media platforms, urging audiences to be vigilant and demand authenticity from their favorite broadcasters.
In a significant development following the initial report on the USD 439 trillion mega fraud in Nairobi, the Operations Support detectives have made a breakthrough. Isaiah Aluodo Belek, identified as the mastermind behind the multi-trillion dollar fraud, was apprehended from his Gigiri hideout in Nairobi.
This arrest comes in connection with the thwarted scheme that targeted two foreign businessmen from the Netherlands. The eight initial suspects, Moses Otieno, Peter Aura, Brian Waweru, John Kalombo, Peter Kisanya, Noah Ouma, Charity Njeri, and Mercy Cheptoo, were already arraigned at Milimani Law Courts.
Isaiah Aluodo Belek, believed to be the orchestrator of the fraudulent communications, now faces charges of conspiracy to defraud, possession of forged banknotes, and possession of police uniforms. Despite pleading not guilty, he sought release on bond, a plea to which the prosecution objected. The final determination on his bond request is scheduled for Nov 21.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Aluodo remains in police custody, with arrangements underway for his formal arraignment on Monday. Additionally, his Mercedes Benz, suspected to be acquired through fraudulent means, has been seized as part of the ongoing investigation. The comprehensive operation continues, with authorities focusing on unraveling the intricacies of the fraudulent business deal.
In Kenya today, We are often taught not to trust anything/anyone online. This was the case in 2021/2022 when a notorious pyramid scheme resurfaced with a vengeance. They had evolved, becoming more sophisticated, elusive, and impervious to regulation. These schemes had lurked in the internet, ensnaring thousands of unsuspecting, young Kenyans with the allure of easy money. The name was Public Likes.
These scam had promised quick riches, but just like all pyramids, they had inevitably crumbled, leaving countless victims in financial ruin. It had posed as a website where users could earn money by merely clicking on ‘adverts.’
Public Likes had attracted new investors with promises of unusually high short-term returns. However, these returns hadn’t been from legitimate business activities. The website had presented itself as a “social media marketing” platform, claiming to connect advertisers with potential customers.
Users on this site had earned money simply by clicking on ads, in a scheme referred to as Paid-to-Click (PTC). They had been led to believe that advertisers had paid them for every click, known as Pay per Click (PPC). It had been a clever deception.
Photo/Courtesy
Public Likes hadn’t just been a Ponzi scheme; it had been part of a complex online fraud that had cost advertisers nearly Ksh 2 trillion annually in lost advertising revenue.
Jane had been among the earliest investors in this scheme, which had attracted approximately 2 million users in less than three months at its peak. Public Likes had even outperformed well-known websites like Twitter, Standard Digital, Wikipedia, and Sportspesa.com in popularity, according to Alexa, a California-based company that had tracked web traffic data.
Jane had had around Ksh 60,000 invested in the company when Safaricom had decided to suspend Public Likes’ Paybill. This move had come in response to numerous complaints from users who hadn’t been receiving their payments.
The company had insisted it hadn’t closed down, only temporarily pausing transactions while they had made changes. Meanwhile, Jane and others who had already recouped their investments had shrugged it off.
Latecomers like Peter, who had been attracted by the Ksh 20,000 Jane had been withdrawing weekly, had been left in suspense. If Public Likes had gone down, it had taken Peter’s hard-earned Ksh 4,500 with it. Both Jane and Peter had invested Ksh 4,500 to move past the first level, where users had had to wait three months and click on five ‘adverts’ every day to earn Ksh 10 for each click. Most people had quickly upgraded to the Business Basic level, where a one-time Ksh 4,500 subscription had allowed them to earn Ksh 7,500 per month.
Muniu Thoithi, head of forensics at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), had found this arrangement intriguing. He had stated that it had been peculiar for users to pay the PTC site to click on ads when they should have been paid for clicking on the links.
The Premium account subscription fee had been Ksh 14,000, allowing users to watch a maximum of 50 ads and earn Ksh 15,000 per month. At the highest level, Gold, users had paid a Ksh 90,000 subscription fee and had earned Ksh 30,000 monthly.
Despite knowing it had been a pyramid scheme, Jane had recouped her investments, while Peter had been left in limbo. The pyramid scheme had operated by receiving payments from new entrants like Peter and redistributing them to early users at the top, such as Jane.
When Peter had examined the list of advertisers on the website, he had noticed that most of them had been other PTC websites, which had raised questions about why these sites had paid for clicks. This had suggested that there had been little, if any, earnings from real advertisers.
Public Likes had started with genuine products, especially hotels, but they had mostly been international establishments. The hotels may have been duped into paying for viewers who hadn’t converted into customers, affecting Public Likes’ revenue.
According to Thoithi, PTC sites had struggled to attract advertisers willing to pay for clicks from users genuinely interested in the ads. Some PTC sites had even acted as affiliates to other PTC sites, redirecting clicks to the primary PTC site.
Peter had refrained from withdrawing his money, hoping it would accumulate, but the suspension of the Paybill number had dashed those hopes. Now, Public Likes had been tempting users like Peter with new earning options such as offer walls, videos, and a daily jackpot.
Public Likes had also insisted it hadn’t shut down its Paybill, temporarily suspending transactions to streamline operations. Safaricom had confirmed that they had met with the company’s representatives but couldn’t reveal their identities.
Public Likes might have also been linked to a global scam known as click fraud, which had robbed advertisers of about Ksh 1.7 trillion annually, according to ad verification company Adloox. Click fraud had involved repeatedly clicking on ads to generate revenue for the host site or drain revenue from advertisers.
In this type of fraud, a PTC site like Public Likes had been known as a click farm, where low-paid workers had been hired to click on paid advertising links.
While this online deception had continued to grow, fueled by high unemployment rates, increasing internet penetration, and a burgeoning mobile economy in Africa, it had been crucial for individuals to exercise caution. Falling victim to pyramid schemes had often reflected a lack of proper research, even when information had been readily available.
Despite numerous pyramid schemes collapsing and causing significant financial losses, people had continued to be lured into such ventures. The allure of quick and easy money had led individuals down a path of financial devastation, and this cycle had appeared far from ending.
As the Public Likes scheme had unraveled, another PTC, “Synergy Traffic,” had emerged, offering more attractive terms. Users had been able to withdraw a minimum of Ksh 2,500, and there had been no limits on daily clicks. Unlike Public Likes, Synergy Traffic had used Bitcoin for payments, making transactions difficult to trace.
While some like Jane may have considered joining another pyramid scheme, it had been essential to recognize the risks and pitfalls associated.
As we are all evolving to an internet- dependent Society, beware of online scams. They can ruin your life.
