The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Police yesterday issued a new alert after scammers seemingly sought to use an image of ex-Senator Quinton Lightbourne and Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) to gain access to victims’ social media accounts. 

Tribune Business was shown social media exchanges warning Bahamians to beware of calls from an unknown number listed as 242 468-2862, where a male claiming to speak on behalf of BPL asks persons to read out a Zoom code.

That phone number’s What’s App also contains an image of the former Senator, who has just resigned from both the Senate and his Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) chairmanship to take up a post as the Caribbean’s alternate director at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

“Warning to all: Just had a call from the his guy ‘from BPL’ about a ‘Zoom call for security,” one Bahamian messaged on What’s App. “He asked me to read out a ‘Zoom code’ for a call tonight. Do not read out the code - he’s trying to steal your What’s App. Block this contact now to avoid being caught out. Thanks.”

Another responded: “I was called by that guy as well. I luckily read what the code said about ‘turning your What’s App over to him’ and refused. He sent another code supposedly for Zoom and I told him to e-mail me the Zoom link. I asked twice what the meeting was about but he ignored the question.”

Others, though, were not so lucky. One said: “It had happened to me and I lost my What’s App and Facebook.” Another person wrote: “Same person kept calling me too”, while another added: “He called me too. I wouldn’t read the code to him. Beware.”

Mr Lightbourne told Tribune Business yesterday he would like to reassure Bahamians that he has no ties to the person behind the calls. “It’s definitely not me,” Mr Lightbourne said. “And I would advise persons to not fall victim to these scams.”

He added that his photo was probably used by the scam artists because “obviously I probably was trending the other day, and so that’s probably why”. 

He added: “[I] always like to advise persons to be very vigilant of such scams, and to be very cautious before engaging in any matter like that. If I remember correctly, there was also a scam that was done on Prophet Lawrence Rolle about two weeks ago.” BPL, meanwhile, told Tribune Business it would address the situation.

Police said the scam has not been brought to their attention. However, their advice is the same as it is for all the other similar schemes that have been going around recently - to stay safe and be vigilant.

“Based on a number of scams that have been going on previously with incidents involving persons contacting other persons via What’s App, I can say that we have spoken to that already indicating to persons not to respond to those type of scams or not to respond to unknown persons,” Inspector Desiree Ferguson said.

“We know that once they get into the What’s App numbers and you respond to whatever the prompts are, that they take control of the What’s App. So that has been spoken to prior. So it’s probably just another format that they’re using.

“So, you know, you just advise persons not to adhere, not to follow the prompt, particularly if it’s not someone in their contacts, it’s not someone that they’re familiar with. And if it is, we encourage persons to not, again, not follow the prompt, but call the individual to ensure that that is them actually sending a message.”