Accra: On June 9, 2026, over 5,300 users reacted to a sponsored Facebook video showing Samuel Awuku, the Akuapem North Member of Parliament, being interviewed by Metro TV journalist Moro Awudu. They were purportedly discussing an AI-powered investment platform known as PrimeAura. The advert claimed users could earn GHS11,200 within 24 hours without any financial risk. The sponsored video generated hundreds of comments and dozens of shares.
According to Ghana News Agency, in the comment section, DUBAWA found several Ghanaians who expressed interest in and endorsed the platform. One such user, Esther Tulasi, wrote, 'Hmmmmmmmm really good news,' whilst Emmanuel Adu Poku also commented, 'Nice project!' The link attached to the post redirected users to a webpage that closely resembled GhanaWeb, a prominent media platform in Ghana. However, DUBAWA's analysis found that the viral video was a deepfake that altered Mr Awuku's appearance to mischievously promote the investment platform. Also, the verified Facebook account used to publish the advertisement belonged to British Olympic taekwondo athlete Bianca Walkden.
Samuel Awuku subsequently denied any involvement and publicly warned that fraudsters were using his image to promote investment scams. It is one of many sponsored ads that DUBAWA found while investigating how scammers exploit Facebook's paid advertising system to reach Ghanaian audiences. These scammers use investment fraud campaigns that impersonate celebrities and credible media platforms to promote their deceptive websites and Telegram bots. The persistence of these sponsored ads, some with massive engagement rates, calls Meta's ad moderation effectiveness into question. The investigation also questions the platform's effort to protect potential victims from deceptive financial content.
Facebook's ability to reach billions of users has made advertising the backbone of Meta's business model. In 2025 alone, Meta generated approximately $196.2 billion in advertising revenue, representing nearly 98% of its total revenue of $201 billion. The platform also reported in its 2025 Annual Report (Form 10-K) that advertising generated an average of more than $6,200 per second during the year. This indicates the role that automated campaign creation, target audience selection, and rapid approvals have played in driving the platform's commercial success. However, malicious actors have also exploited the same systems that enable legitimate businesses to reach potential customers efficiently.
DUBAWA found that several investment scams impersonate politicians, journalists, musicians, and trusted media organisations to persuade unsuspecting users to invest in fraudulent schemes. Consumers reported losing approximately $2.1 billion to scams originating on social media in 2025, according to data from the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). DUBAWA observed a recurring pattern in the scams' designs and execution after examining numerous sponsored advertisements on Facebook. Although the personalities, company names, and websites varied, the campaigns consistently used the same tactics, promising guaranteed returns and demanding high-pressure deposits before opportunities expired.
Adib Saani, a cybersecurity expert and executive director of Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, warned that clicking these unverified links risks phishing-the theft of sensitive personal or financial data-and advised verifying sources before engaging. 'There is nothing secretive about cyberspace. Once you are on it, you are half naked. But to be completely naked, you need to be reckless,' he said. 'Clicking on any link without exercising caution can lead to the harvesting of your private data that can be used to harm you,' he said.
Although Facebook served as the primary focus of this investigation, DUBAWA observed that the advertisements were not confined to a single platform. Identical investment campaigns appeared across Facebook and Instagram, showing operators using a coordinated strategy to maximise reach. As similar moderation issues span Meta's broader ecosystem, tackling fraudulent ads on Facebook alone may be insufficient. Using new or inactive pages reduces an account's credibility while enabling operators to switch pages if ads are removed.
DUBAWA contacted Meta via email on Aug. 21, 2026, to seek the company's response and input on the findings of this investigation. As of Aug. 25, 2026, Meta had not responded to DUBAWA's request for comment.
Despite the challenges associated with social media use, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) says it is intensifying public education, capacity building, incident reporting, investigations, enforcement, and collaboration with technology platforms and other stakeholders to protect Ghanaians from cyber threats. Ms Faustina Maner Angmor, the agency's communications lead, said public awareness remained one of the Authority's key preventive measures, noting the difficulty of recovering from financial losses caused by online fraud. She urged Ghanaians to take greater personal responsibility for their digital safety.