Akume Raises Alarm As Fraudsters Clone His Voice To Scam Nigerians

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has raised an alarm over the activities of criminal syndicates who have reportedly cloned his voice to defraud prominent individuals by promising them federal appointments.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, Akume disclosed that the fraudsters are using audio deepfakes to impersonate him, soliciting money from unsuspecting targets in exchange for fake federal appointments.

“The fraudsters cloned the voice of the SGF, using it to solicit money in return for federal appointments,” the statement said.

Akume dissociated himself from the scams and further revealed that the syndicates have also cloned the phone numbers of high-profile individuals to deceive the public. He warned Nigerians to be cautious, explaining that the scammers lure victims by claiming they have been shortlisted for federal appointments and then demand payments to secure the fake offers.

“The warning becomes necessary as the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been inundated with enquiries relating to the activities of these fraudulent individuals and groups,” he said.

Odunuga added that the criminals send bank account details along with their messages, demanding deposits ranging from ₦5 million to ₦15 million, and ask victims to submit their CVs to fake email addresses.

Senator Akume stressed that federal appointments are handled through transparent and verifiable processes and advised the public never to pay money to secure such positions.

The statement also noted that the scammers operate using accounts with several commercial banks and popular fintech mobile money platforms. The SGF confirmed that security agencies have been briefed and urged Nigerians to report any suspicious activity while taking necessary precautions to avoid falling victim.