The Ghana Police Service has expressed worry over the increasing number of advertisements aimed at luring people into dubious activities that are claimed to generate riches overnight. 

These charlatanic activities, the police said, have serious security implications for the country.

The activities, which often begin with misleading advertisements on some mainstream and social media platforms, lure unsuspecting members of the public, including children, and deceive them into engaging in dubious acts, in the hope of getting rich overnight.

The police said its investigations have recently shown that the upsurge in such activities has contributed to serious crimes such as defrauding by false pretences, kidnapping, and even murder.

According to the law enforcers, some recent notorious cases attributable to the phenomenon include the Mankessim murder case, where the suspects under the pretext of sending their victims abroad, murdered them for ritual money and the Kasoa case in which two teenage boys murdered their peer for ritual money purposes.

The police has, thus, reminded the public that charlatanic advertisements are not just unethical but criminal and punishable under the laws of Ghana.

“We, therefore, urge operators of electronic communication networks, providers of electronic communications and broadcasting services to rise to their responsibilities and not to allow their platforms to be used in the promotion or advertising of such activities,” a police statement said.

In order to tackle this menace, the Police Service noted that it has intensified its enforcement efforts across the country alongside the education of all relevant stakeholders on the position of the law on the matter.

The police also urged the public to be wary of charlatanic advertisements in both mainstream and social media platforms and work together with the law enforcement body to ensure the safety and security of all persons to maintain law and order in the country.