“Nobody’s going to double your money,” the CNIN warns against scams that promise to multiply your money.
The National Center for Digital Investigations (CNIN) warns Beninese citizens about the rise in scams involving the alleged multiplication of money, widely shared on social networks and private messaging services. Through this alert, the institution calls for vigilance and reminds people that these practices are simply scams.
Centre national d’investigation numérique au bénin
“Warning! If someone could multiply money, they wouldn’t need you to give them any.” The message is clear and unequivocal. The CNIN is sounding the alarm over a persistent wave of fraudulent promises that target citizens looking for quick gains, in an often difficult economic context.
These scams, often presented as mystical rituals, spiritual blessings or secret investments, circulate widely on Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok and other digital platforms. The perpetrators promise to double, triple, or even multiply sums of money indefinitely, in exchange for an “initial deposit” or “unlocking fees.”
In practice, once the money is transferred, victims are left with no news of their alleged benefactors. Recorded complaints reveal sometimes significant financial losses, as well as severe psychological distress among those defrauded, who are often ashamed of having been trapped.
A well‑oiled scam, with ever more victims
According to the CNIN, the scammers exploit the gullibility, precarity and sometimes the faith of their targets to better manipulate them. The narratives are carefully crafted, accompanied by fake testimonials, doctored screenshots and staged scenes intended to build trust.
The institution strongly reminds everyone that no legal, mystical or technological method can multiply money by a simple transfer. Any offer suggesting otherwise should immediately arouse suspicion.
In response to this phenomenon, the CNIN urges citizens to systematically report these fraudulent contents and to avoid transferring money to strangers, whatever the promise. “Nobody doubles your money,” the institution repeats, calling on everyone to be cautious and to apply critical thinking so as not to fall into the trap of digital illusions.