Global direct-selling company QNET has intensified collaboration with key regulatory and enforcement agencies to combat job scam syndicates exploiting its name.
Operating in over 25 countries with a product-based business model focused on lifestyle and wellness goods, QNET has faced persistent misrepresentation in parts of Africa and Asia, where fraudsters impersonate the company to lure unsuspecting job seekers into Ponzi-style schemes.
In Nigeria, the scale of the problem is alarming. According to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), annual fraud cases jumped 112 percent between 2019 and 2023, with losses ballooning from N2.9 billion to N17 billion.
To address this, QNET has deepened partnerships with agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and state-level bodies such as the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA). These alliances have already yielded significant results, from shutting down more than 50 fake recruitment websites to facilitating the arrest of 30 impostors in 2024 alone.
“We won’t stand by while fraudsters exploit trust and economic hardship. Our business is built on transparency and real product value, not recruitment or investment promises. That’s why we work with regulators to expose bad actors and ensure Nigerians know the truth about who we are,” said Biram Fall, QNET’s regional general manager for Sub-Saharan Africa
The company has matched enforcement with public awareness campaigns. Its 2023 nationwide Social Awareness programme reached over 50 million Nigerians through billboards, radio jingles, pamphlets, and grassroots outreach in Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers States. In November 2023, QNET rolled out its *Say NO!* campaign across Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Senegal, warning communities in local languages about red flags like unsolicited job offers or upfront payment requests.
Building on these efforts, QNET has engaged in targeted education to reduce financial vulnerability. Its FinGreen financial literacy programme, launched in 2022 with Transblue Limited, has trained over 1,500 Nigerian youths and women in budgeting, savings, responsible spending, and digital finance. The company also worked with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in July 2024 to train 50 unemployed youths to identify and avoid fraudulent job schemes.
Afolabi Solebo, LASCOPA general manager, praised the company’s consumer-first approach during their joint World Consumer Rights Day event in Lagos, stating that, “Our partnership with QNET strengthens our resolve to combat unfair practices and uphold transparency and justice in the marketplace. Together, we are setting a new standard for consumer protection in this digital age.”
Internally, QNET has tightened compliance, terminating 81 Independent Distributor accounts in Sub-Saharan Africa for Code of Ethics breaches between 2022 and 2023. The company says its ongoing crackdown is not just about protecting corporate reputation but also about restoring the dreams of legitimate entrepreneurs and consumers who rely on ethical direct selling for their livelihood.
