One Bulawayo woman, who declined to be named told the
Sunday News she made an application for the grant, and almost fell victim to
the elaborate fraudulent scheme.
She said she was hopeful for a financial boost to expand
her detergent-making business and when she came across a supposed loan scheme,
purportedly from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce offering US$75 000, she
was excited.
“A friend who knows I am an entrepreneur found this grant
information online claiming to be from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
She encouraged me to check it out on Facebook. I did, and the link led me to a
page detailing the grants. I sent an enquiry email, and they responded promptly
with an application form that I filled out. They told me that my application
aligned with their selection criteria.”
However, after her application was approved, she was
informed that a certification fee needed to be paid through their agent in
Kenya.
“They claimed that the certification could only be
processed by someone in Nairobi, Kenya, and the documentation appeared formal.
But when I checked LinkedIn for their profiles, I found nothing. I expected to
see established professionals with a history of positive impact.
She learned that individuals seeking the loan were asked to
pay various amounts of US$190 for individuals, US$280 for groups, US$360 for
companies, and US$385 for co-operatives.
“Our last communication was me suggesting they deduct the
certification fee from the grant, but they refused. They insisted I pay the fee
upfront before receiving the US$75 000,” she noted.
Dr Dotito 
Nhunzvatunzva 
