Claim: A promotional video shared by Lendsafe and circulating on social media claims to discuss innovative solutions for securing personal loans in an increasingly digital financial landscape. It was discovered that the video was manipulated to promote the loan app.
Story
Lendsafe loan company has published a video to promote their new streamlined loan application process, designed to simplify borrowing for customers nationwide.
The video had the logo and other information of PlusTV Africa, a Nigerian pan-African news channel owned by General News and Entertainment Company and broadcast across Africa.
The video was published on the Facebook page of Safe Loan Solution, and has had over 19,000 views with 294 likes, 51 comments, and 3 shares.
The video shows a man giving a testimonial of how he got money from the loan company quickly and effortlessly, praising Lendsafe for its user-friendly app and fast approval process.
The man said, “I actually just used Lendsafe and I gotta say it’s pretty great honestly. I was pleasantly surprised. The best part was definitely the low fees and flexible repay options up to 365 days, no harassment, no call relatives. I took out a loan of N100,000 and I got this with a promo code for new users.”
The man in the video also recommended the use of the loan app.
However, PlusTV Africa did not produce this video. Instead, the footage was manipulated by Lendsafe to mislead Nigerians, lending credibility to the app as a quick loan provider that allows users to borrow and repay without stress or harassment.
Lendsafe app manipulated the video to promote its services and attract a larger Nigerian audience.
This deceptive technique misleads viewers by presenting a trusted media outlet as a champion of the loan service, blurring the line between fact and fabrication.
The manipulated content has spread rapidly across Facebook, preying on the financial vulnerabilities of Nigerians amid economic hardship. With flashy promises of instant wealth circulating in targeted ads and viral posts, the fraudulent use of PlusTV Africa’s branding has convinced many to download the app and take financial risks.
Verification
To verify these claims, an investigation was conducted into the authenticity of the Lendsafe app’s promotional materials, focusing on the alleged manipulation of PlusTV Africa news footage and the credibility of the testimonials featured in the video.
The investigation involved cross-referencing the news clips used in the ad with original PlusTV Africa broadcasts to identify any edits or misrepresentations, analyzing metadata from the promotional video for signs of tampering.
Using InVid, a deep search revealed that Lendsafe used AI technology to create a fake endorsement, leading viewers to believe the app is legitimate.
Through advanced AI tools such as Deepfake, DeepFace, and SpeakPic, the loan company seamlessly alters the original broadcast, making it appear as though PlusTV’s Africa is promoting the app.
It was discovered that on March 15, 2022, PlusTV Africa shared a video on YouTube titled: “Street Views: Nigerians Share Experience with Online Loan Apps”. In the original video, the video featured real discussions on Nigerians’ experiences with digital loan services. The exact video altered was from 0:21 – 0:58 with the man lamenting how loan companies extort people.
However, scammers exploited gaps in Facebook’s ad review system by creating fake business pages, using unrelated websites, stealing images, and fabricating testimonials.
A google search also revealed that the loan company isn’t part of the 318 loan companies approved by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Central Bank of Nigeria.
A web search for “Lendsafe app Nigeria” yields no official site or credible mentions tied to a legitimate loan provider as of March 31, 2025, but scam warnings occasionally surface in forums and blogs, consistent with unregulated apps.
The altered video falsely claims that Lendsafe app allows users to borrow up to ₦600,000 with low fees and a 365-day flexible repayment option, free from harassment. However, the video was manipulated to create the illusion that PlusTV Africa was endorsing the app, misleading viewers.
This deceptive manipulation of a reputable news platform’s content misled viewers, spreading false claims and exploiting PlusTV Africa’s credibility.
Beneath the video, several social media users left comments warning others to avoid the app, describing it as a scam.
Verdict
The information about the Lendsafe app and its promotion through manipulated PlusTV Africa news footage is false and misleading.
The video misuses PlusTV Africa’s credibility to deceive viewers into believing a fraudulent loan opportunity.
With Nigeria facing inflation, unemployment, and economic instability, such deceptive practices pose a serious risk to financially vulnerable individuals. Exposing this fraud is critical to protecting potential victims from financial loss, preventing misinformation, and preserving trust in legitimate media outlets like PlusTV Africa.
Unchecked, such schemes normalize the use of AI-generated deepfakes to deceive the public.
To reduce scams and misleading content, viewers must remain vigilant, verify advertisements’ legitimacy, and report suspicious ads to regulatory bodies like the FCCPC.
This verification was produced with support from BO Foundation for Inclusive Media (BOFIM) and WITNESS.