E-Creator victims speak out
Providence Moyo
Scores of Zimbabweans are living in regret after being scammed by a suspected Chinese online marketing platform, E-creator.
Ecreator was a virtual platform where people were alleged to be making a killing as others, specifically those in VIP 1 were reportedly making USD $19 per day in online transactions.
The system had three categories namely VIP 1, VIP 2 and VIP 3. VIP consisted of those who had invested at least $15. After recruiting at least five people individuals graduated to VIP 2 and if those people recruited by VIP 2 go on to recruit others, the VIP 2 members would be elavated to the apex VIP 1.
However, since Tuesday people have been failing to withdraw any money.
The members’ duty was to comment on different materials that were sold online and soon after they could see their earned monies reflecting on the e-creator account as they earned 4% of their investment daily.
One Victim from Bulawayo, Silence Nyeranda told this publication that he was in disbelief as he had invested a fortune after successful trials.
“When I heard about it for the first time, I could not believe it and dismissed it as a scam but with time I was tempted to try as people were showing me their balances on the system. Some were showing withdrawals via one of the trusted internet service providers in the country. I then did several trials with $15 before increasing to $200, then $1500 and when the system crashed my balance was $2000.”
Another victim, Sharon Moyo who was recruited a few days before the system crashed said on the day she was recruited her recruiter promised to pay back the $70 which she had invested should she fail to get money from the investment but the recruiter is no longer responding to calls.
“Wathi engenzela i account wangipha isqiniseko sokuthi imali yami ngizabe ngiyibona nsukuzonke kuleyo account njalo ma kungenzeka idliwe yena uzangipha leyo mali engayifakayo kodwa locingo kasalubambi.”
An economist, Nqobile Ndlovu cited employment challenges and also the love for easy money as fertile ground for pyramid schemes.
“Lack of employment and low salaries expose Zimbabweans to such Ponzi schemes as people are searching for alternative means of getting money.
These schemes come with promises of hefty returns, therefore people easily think they have got the solutions to their financial problems. Lack of investment knowledge and laziness contributes to this. People invest without doing a proper risk analysis, and the love of “fast” money is the key driver.
Our financial system is also exposed to loopholes and we are prone to fraudsters. One wonders how such a company would be linked to one of the leading mobile money agents in our country. This is a call for government to strengthen financial policies,” he said.
The country’s sole broadcaster interviewed the E-Creator CEO on its ‘This Morning Show. The alleged fraudulent company also received positive coverage from the Herald, which has since pulled down the article.
