It appears like nothing if asked to pay $5 dollars only, to be eligible to attend a Rwandan conference on something that should intrigue a nation of young men and women without jobs: wealth and fitness. That was how over two thousand Rwandans were led into one of the biggest online scams their country has been hit by after crowds thronged into an advertised venue to attend a ‘conference’, only to be met with the loudest rejection message that it was a well-orchestrated con-game.
In what has now become a police case, the authorities of Rwanda are investigating how huge numbers went through the process of applying for such an advertised event in a location as prestigious as the Radisson Blu Hotel, only for them to discover that it was all a botched conference.
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Dubbed the ‘Money Wealth and Business Conference’, scheduled to be held on June 25, 2019, with Charles Kinuthia billed to be the main speaker, the self-proclaimed social entrepreneur and investor was also caught in a storm at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre Kimihurura Roundabout, Kigali when he arrived there only to be met by the same shock.
Individuals interviewed at the centre confessed to having sold personal properties in order to make it where they believed they would each receive at least Ksh 20,000 ($193) as per the communication they claim to have received.
“I sold my harvest and borrowed some from my neighbours, promising them I would come back rich. What am I going to tell them?” Mimi Uwihayimana remarked.
Once one completed the necessary transaction in order to confirm attendance, he/she then received the message highlighted below:
EVENT DETAILS
Date
June 25th, 2019
Location
Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre Kimihurura Roundabout, Kigali
Time
The event will start at 9:00 am, and registration will begin at 7:00 am.
This is a full day event.
All attendees who stay for the entire event will receive a $197 VALUE BONUS
We look forward to seeing you there,
Regards,
Wealth Fitness Team.
“I want people to understand that thieves aren’t the only ones who pick on pockets. You made people waste their time and lose money, didn’t know that you ain’t honest,” a user named Hope_films posted.
There were numerous other comments that have interestingly been deleted from the wealth fitness official Instagram page, with their Facebook page also found missing.
“Someone is here lying to the world. Conman! Folks be careful not to follow this kind of fool. You caused chaos in Kigali but you will pay back some day,” niwe_na posted. Rwandan scam
The BBC reports that the venue for the event was full with hopeful participants but organisers did not show up. Rwandan scam
Rwanda’s Youth Minister, Rose Mary Mbabazi after speaking and calming down the disappointed gathering, told them that she hoped that this served as a lesson to them, advising them to be careful of “empty promises of easy money” online.
