By Ayo Onikoyi
Nigerian content creator and influencer, Tabitha Umar, popularly known as Tabsyluv on Instagram, has raised the alarm over the alleged use of her pictures and identity by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting members of the public online.
Umar, who is currently serving in Abuja under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), said she was compelled to issue a public disclaimer after experiencing several disturbing incidents involving fake accounts allegedly created with her photographs.
According to her in a chat with Potpourri, some individuals have contacted her accusing her of defrauding them or collecting money from them, only for her to discover that impostors had been using her pictures to create accounts and interact with people.
She said the situation had become particularly painful because some victims believed she was responsible for the fraudulent activities, forcing her to explain that she had no connection with the accounts.
“I’m writing this with a heavy heart because I feel the need to address something that has been causing me immense pain. It’s deeply upsetting to know that there are people using my pictures to scam others,” she said.
Umar added that she had also faced harassment from people who believed she was behind the alleged scams, describing the experience of being falsely accused and dragged into situations beyond her control as “heartbreaking and exhausting.”
She said the incidents had made her more cautious about the pictures and personal information she shares online, noting that images posted on social media could easily be copied and misused by criminals.
The content creator, who studied English at Gombe State University, explained that her decision to publish the disclaimer was aimed at protecting her identity and warning members of the public against falling victim to impostors.
She urged anyone approached by an account using her pictures to request money or conduct any transaction to properly verify the identity of the person involved before proceeding.
“I want to make it clear that I would never engage in such behaviour, and it pains me to see my image used to deceive others,” she said.
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