ARCON flags fake internet ads featuring Adeboye, Okinbaloye, Customs

By Kunle Sanni

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has alerted the public to a wave of fake and unethical advertisements circulating on Facebook, which use the names and images of prominent Nigerians and government agencies without their consent.

In a statement on Friday, ARCON’s Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, disclosed that fake adverts featuring Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and Seun Okinbaloye, a Channels Television journalist, have been detected online.

The fraudulent ads falsely claim that Pastor Adeboye endorsed a cure for prostate cancer, while Okinbaloye’s image and voice were used to advertise erectile dysfunction treatment.

ARCON also warned about a scam promoting auctions of impounded cars and bags of rice, falsely attributed to the Nigeria Customs Service, aimed at deceiving unsuspecting members of the public.

“Preliminary findings revealed that the fake ads are largely generated using computer and AI technology to mislead Nigerians,” the statement said. ARCON confirmed that these ads have been spreading on Facebook and Instagram — both owned by Meta Inc.

The Council emphasized its commitment to tackling the menace, stating that legal action will be taken against social media platforms, advertisers, and agencies responsible for disseminating unethical content. It has also deployed a special monitoring and enforcement task force to swiftly detect and flag non-compliant advertisements.

ARCON urged the public to report any suspicious or deceptive ads and reminded stakeholders of the need to uphold truthful, legal, and responsible advertising practices.

“The era of false and misleading advertising and marketing communication is over,” said Dr. Fadolapo.