Imposters using ministers Facebook try to scam Antiguans and Barbudans

At least three Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party ministers, including Prime Minister Gaston Browne have been affected by fake Facebook accounts in the last few days.
Most of the fake accounts – bearing the MPs’ names, profile and photos – popped up between Monday night and Thursday morning but were deleted shortly after people were alerted on social media.
These fake or spoof accounts start by imitating known public figures and adding friends.
They then attempt to send spam messages through FB Messenger and using a simple tactic related to previous Facebook scams.
In one instance, someone posing as the Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene asked one of his Facebook friends whether she had heard about a U.N. grant fund that is available for unemployed people.
When the young women replied “no”, the imposter said she is eligible but he would need her email to send her the information on exactly how she can qualify.
And probably out of curiosity the young lady followed the instructions only to find out that she must pay a fee in order for her name to be placed at the top of the list of those who will be given the U.N. grant.
All this is taking place as Greene and Prime Minister Browne are currently at the U.N. in New York, so the woman in question thought it could have been legit.
However, when OBSERVER media contacted Greene to seek clarification on the matter he was not at all amused.
“I have had to close other platforms to end the illegal use of my name, image and office,” he said.
Greene did not say whether he would shut down his Facebook page because according to him, “I have always placed a very high value on the use of social media in communicating with my constituents and to disseminate information of public interest”.
He did say though, that “it has now become a bother, having to police imitations, fake news and downright abuses by persons unknown and who unscrupulously set upon unsuspecting persons of trust to rob them of their resources”.
The Minister is encouraging the general public to look out for scams like that.