The Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI) has observed an alarming increase in fraudulent social media posts, impersonation, and the creation of fake accounts disseminating false and misleading information that do not represent or come from the Ministry.

The Ministry’s attention is drawn to these social media reports, insinuating that it is soliciting applications from the public for grants and other loan programs. It is also important to clarify that at no time did the Commerce & Industry Minister, Hon. Amin Modad accuse the Unity Party led-Government of formulating an agreement concerning how Liberia trades and exports raw materials without reference to the Ministry.

Taking into account that these insinuations have the propensity to cause reputational damage for the Ministry, it is necessary to unconditionally state that such social media reports are false and misleading. Besides, the links being used to share such deception are fake and that elements sharing them   have no connection with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, as claimed.

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry further urges the public to realize that while the birth of social media has been hailed as a great achievement in the information age considering its fast, effective and less costly effect on getting information across the global community, some dishonest elements have equally taken advantage of its existence for purposes that are criminal in nature.

“We therefore see it quite befitting to once more call on the public to beware of these unscrupulous elements whose inordinate desire is to extort money from people under dubious circumstances.” 

Official Communication Channels

To ensure that the public receives accurate information, we reiterate that the official sources for information, updates, and announcements from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry are:

• Head Office: The Ministry's head office is located in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, in Congo Town, Monrovia.

• Official Website: www.moci.gov.lr
• Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/mociliberia 

The hotlines are:

1. Consumer Education & Protection Unit:

0887-500-503

07755500-008

2. Customer Service Center

0887500-501

0775500-006

3. Inspectorate Division:

0887500-502

0775500-007

• Designated Spokesperson: Any information disseminated by the designated spokesperson of the Ministry.
• We urge the public to rely solely on our official channels for accurate and verified information. The Ministry warns against fake publications and false information disseminated in our name. We strongly advise everyone to verify the authenticity of any information by contacting the Ministry directly through our official communication channels. Anyone caught engaging in these fraudulent activities will be held accountable through law enforcement.