Saheed Ibrahim
Claim: A WhatsApp message provides an online registration portal link for registration for the Ondo State ₦220 million soft loan for business owners and artisans in the state.
Full Text
Given the current economic hardship in Nigeria, which has several negative effects on businesses and the living conditions of the people, the government at all levels is initiating different programmes to support the citizens.
One such programme was launched by the Ondo State government in September 2024.
According to a statement by John Paul Akinduro, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Deputy Governor, the State Government announced that it had begun disbursing ₦220 million in soft loans to artisan groups and Medium, Small, and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs).
According to various news media, the Chairman of the State Micro Credit Agency, Adenike Ademujimi, the loan serves as “a catalyst for economic growth”. He says it will be disbursed to groups and associations in batches.
Basically, the report of the launch can be found here, here and here.
Image from the programme launch. Source: Ondo State Government Website
After the launch of the loan scheme, a WhatsApp message, entitled “ONDO GOVT COMMENCES DISBURSEMENT OF ₦220M TO BUSINESS OWNERS AND ARTISANT MSMES” began to circulate with a web link claiming to be the portal for business owners to register for the loan.
The message reads: “The 2024 online registration exercise, which is the quickest way to apply, is now out for all business owners and artisans in the state. Check Eligibility and Apply here https://cut-ly.com/grant-apply-portal. Strictly for Artisan and Business Owner”.
Given the suspicion surrounding the link, we conducted this fact-check to verify the authenticity of the WhatsApp message.
Verification
We clicked the web link attached to the message and found that the website is a phishing site, used by internet fraudsters to obtain people’s personal details.
Rather than the website showing Ondo State Government programme, it is displaying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the URL changed to https://oreg.store/tinubu%2050k/.
Suddenly, the information changed from Ondo MSMEs scheme to the Federal Government’s cash transfer scheme.
Screenshot from the website
The landing page requires applicants to supply personal details, such as names, nationality and phone numbers. The down part of the page has a message that reads:
“DON’T MISS THIS OFFER!!! Due to high level of complains, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have urge that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta C. Edu should open the cash transfer portal. Every Nigerian is entitled to receive the sum of ₦50,000 for 6 months. Registration Starts 18th Octomber 2024 and ends 29th December 2024 (sic).”
We have earlier reported websites of this nature as phishing platforms. Such reports can be found here, here and here.
Conclusion
The viral website link circulating on WhatsApp as the application link for the 2024 Ondo State soft loan application portal is FALSE. The website is a phishing site used by internet fraudsters to obtain personal details and is not affiliated with the Ondo State Government.