World Bank cautions against fraud scheme misusing its name

KINSHASA, August 30, 2024: Following recent reports linking an entity calling itself "Pan-African Investment Program" to the World Bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Bank is warning the general public of ongoing scams. This entity claims to be recruiting local companies for a project to "build ten schools per province", falsely associated with World Bank financing.

Perpetrators are using a variety of communication channels, including local media and social media, to spread their messages and extort money from unsuspecting organizations.

The World Bank is not involved in any "Pan-African Investment Program" in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Bank never solicits a financial contribution or participation fee to bid on tenders from individuals or companies for projects that it supports.

We would like to caution the public and business to be wary of these and other similar solicitations that falsely claim to be affiliated with the World Bank.

Media contacts:

In Washington D.C. - Aude Rabault, [email protected]

In Kinshasa - Boris Luviya, [email protected]