In Nigeria’s growing web of financial scams, something more sinister than fraud is taking root — a cycle of infection, where scam victims become spreaders of the very poison that hurt them. After losing money in one Ponzi scheme, many don’t retreat. They double down. They find the next scheme and start spreading it, not out of malice, but desperation. Misery, in this case, seeks company.
Social media becomes their battleground. They flood WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, and Facebook pages with links and testimonies, encouraging others to join platforms they barely understand, platforms that already smell of fraud. They become digital missionaries of false hope.
Some do it knowingly, hoping to "cash out" before the inevitable crash. Others believe the lies because they need to. But regardless of intention, the effect is the same, infection.
"The most dangerous part of these scams isn't just the initial deception, it's how victims become vectors, infecting others. Friends invite friends. Families drag in relatives. Desperation spreads like a virus, and by the time the truth hits, the damage is generational."
And the scariest part? The more a person is scammed, the more likely they are to scam others. It’s a vicious cycle:
•Lose money in one scheme.
•Get desperate to recover.
•Promote the next scheme, knowingly or not.
•Drag others in — and the virus mutates.
People who once swore they’d never fall again begin to rationalize:
•“This one is different.”
•“If I can just get two people under me…”
•“At least let me recover what I lost.”
This isn't just a failure of personal judgment, it's a failure of our economic system, our digital education, and our regulatory bodies. When institutions fail, people turn to risk. And when risk becomes normalized, scams thrive.
Until the cycle is broken, the virus will continue to spread.
Congratulations @aristotle01! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain And have been rewarded with New badge(s)
Your next target is to reach 20 posts.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP