ALERT: ACCI says fraudsters targeting members through Zoom meeting invite

Agabaidu Jideani, director-general (DG) of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has alerted its members, staff, and the general public to a fraudulent message currently circulating online.

In a statement on Wednesday, Jideani announced that neither he nor the chamber authorised any Zoom meeting scheduled for the weekend.

He said claims suggesting such a meeting and requiring registration via a verification code are misleading.

The director-general said the chamber categorically dissociates itself from the scam and implores all stakeholders to exercise utmost caution.

“Any message or call suggesting otherwise should be treated as fraudulent,” he said.

“We strongly advise our members and staff not to respond to these messages, not to share any verification codes, and under no circumstances should personal information be disclosed to unknown sources.”

Jideani explained that certain individuals had been receiving persistent calls and text messages since March.

“The calls and messages received by the individuals are urging them to join a supposed Zoom meeting by entering a verification code,” he said.

“These messages are entirely false and did not originate from the ACCI.”

He said the chamber has identified calls and texts from a certain ‘Mr Emmanuel’ using the phone numbers 09165205764 and 08166115405.

“These numbers have been flagged as fraudulent and have been reported to the relevant authorities,” the director-general said.

“The ACCI Information Technology Department is actively investigating the matter.

“We strongly advise everyone to avoid engaging with these numbers, refrain from clicking on any suspicious links, and to report such incidents immediately.”

Jideani said all official communications from the chamber are disseminated strictly through its established and verified channels.

The DG added that for verification or further inquiries regarding any ACCI-related communication, members and the general public are advised to contact the chamber directly through its official platforms.