Two Econet Wireless Facebook pages. The more popular one is fake

L.S.M Kabweza Avatar
Econet Zim Fake Page

Econet Zim Fake PageNote: There was a significant development to this story just before we published it. We decided to put the development as an update below the story.

This has happened before and will probably continue to happen as long as the unscrupulous lot walk amoung us. The way they operate is simple; they observe a successful brand that people want to engage with socially on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Facebook particularly is a great place to get conversation going with Zimbos. So the unscrupulous one creates a Facebook page for the brand without the brand owner’s permission and goes on to tell the world that this new page is the official one.

The latest victim of these shady social media ways is Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe’s largest telecoms firm.

A Facebook page created less than a month ago, but now more popular than Econet’s own page, is claiming to be the official Econet Facebook page. The claim is quite blatant actually, the page is named “Econet Zimbabwe (official)”. The imposter page has some 17,825 likes, while Econet’s page has 16,682 likes.

When we checked with Econet some two weeks ago what this page was about (just in case were wrong about its fake status), the company’s spokesperson confirmed it’s fake and that they are working to have it shut down:

That is definitely not the official Econet page. The official Econet page is http://www.facebook.com/econetzimbabwe We have advised whoever is running this page, and also lodged a report with Facebook.

Unfortunately for Econet, getting Facebook to take it down will probably take some time. See, despite the trends speaking for themselves, Zuckerburg doesn’t consider the numbers (or the potential) meaningful enough to prioritize Africa as a market. Now Africa is a big place, 1 billion+ people big. Considering Zimbabwe’s only 12.5 million of that, and much less the Facebook population, it’s no wonder these situations take forever to resolve.

It took so long for H-Metro (never happened actually) to have their grievance resolved by Facebook that the media house just gave up and let the imposters run off with the brand.

The curious thing we noted about the fake Econet Facebook page is that posts on the page are promoting websites by a company that runs the following domains and Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/jobs247, www.classifieds247.co.zw, www.health263.co.zw. (see image above). Strange they’d do it so blatantly if it’s them.

Update: Just as we were about to post this story, we decided to take a screenshot of the fake page so we would have it as the story’s main picture. We found the page had been taken down. Now, other than Econet, the only people we contacted about this page are 2 people connected to a local company called Communications247, which runs the domains mentioned above. They didn’t respond to us. I guess it’s clear who’s behind the pages now. Fortunately, we had taken some screenshots of posts made on the site.

Here are some of them:

Update: We have since received an email from Communications 247 (and a comment in the comments section below), basically demanding that we take this article offline or they’ll sue. According to them someone else was using the fake Econet Facebook page to promote Communications 247 web properties. The email says the page has been shut down because they asked the person to do so. Here’s the text from their email:

We advise you to retract the malicious, damaging and defamatory article that suggests that Communication 247 is responsible for the existence of an imposter Econet facebook page. Techzim has chosen to publish this article without getting the full facts of the situation behind the story, and has assumed that by Communication 247 failing to comment in a time deemed appropriate by Techzim that it implies guilt.

TechZim has no concrete proof that Communication 247 is responsible for the facebook posting. Your story is based on conjecture and not fact. Communication 247 has concrete proof that we are in fact not responsible for the posting, and we took measures to get to the bottom of the matter to find out who in fact was. Those responsible have complied with our request to remove the page and desist from using our portals to give credibility to their cause under threat of legal action. We will take legal action and sue for defamation and malicious damage if you do not retract your article and post an apology to Communication 247 immediately. You have one hour to remove the article.

47 comments

  1. annoyed

    so… basically Communications 24/7 (Jobs247 & Classifieds247) have set up these “FAKE” pages and are using them to push their own products/services… shame on you communications 247.

  2. tatenda

    if that company communications 247 and its affiliates really are behind this scam then they must be the most foolish people…how can u do that such a thing and the same time use ur real identity…

  3. t0mB0y

    That’s intellectual property theft, in other countries this can you jail time. Shame on you commmunications247

  4. Observer

    How silly some people are.

  5. Raymond Swart

    Haha the correct way to setup un-official official page http://www.facebook.com/MbichanaBoys

  6. ndozvinei

    njere shoma dzinoparira vatenzi, pathetic, thank you very much tech zim keep on exposing these dumb nuts

  7. Maston Zi

    This is the most pathetic article i have read in a long time, Kabweza you have always thrived on creating what weak people would perceive as controversial but rather stupid articles. Do you know the legal implications of defaming another organization. How can you publish something that you don’t have facts on. Please no chatting on facebook lets bring the conversation out here in the open.

    1. L.S.M. Kabweza

      Great to have the conversation here. lets.
      You can really help everyone by noting why you think this is a stupid article.
      Legal route is great too. I’m assuming you are writing responses as a representative of Comms247

      1. Communication 24/7

        Maston is posting as an independent, he is not part of Communication 247

        1. observer

          are you sure? can you back that up in court?

      2. Vganz

        I think what people need to understand is nothing you do online is untraceable, one can locate the surburb from which an email was sent, and with a bit of nudge from the courts your provider will flash provide name and address, so the days of anonymity are long gone people.

        1. POVO

          VGANZ YOU DONT KNW ANY THING ABOUT ANONYMITY CAN YOU PLIZ NYARARA

      3. KuraiMGT

        Maston is angry @LS coz he has taken away his bread and butter, LMAO. Waiting for the lawsuit.

  8. Richard Chinyenze

    check out my unofficial page for Harare Tees http://www.facebook.com/hararetees

  9. Communication 24/7

    We advise you to retract the malicous, damaging and
    defamatory article that suggests that Communication 247 is responsible for the
    existence of an imposter Econet facebook page. Techzim has chosen to publish
    this article without getting the full facts of the situation behind the story,
    and has assumed that by Communication 247 failing to comment in a time deemed
    appropriate by Techzim that it implies guilt.

    TechZim has no concrete proof that Communication 247 is
    responsible for the facebook posting. Your story is based on conjecture and not
    fact. Communication 247 has concrete proof that we are in fact not responsible for
    the posting, and we took measures to get to the bottom of the matter to find
    out who in fact was. Those responsible have complied with our request to remove
    the page and desist from using our portals to give credibility to their cause
    under threat of legal action. We will take legal action and sue for defamation
    and malicious damage if you do not retract your article and post an apology to
    Communication 247 immediately. You have one hour to remove the article.

    1. BaDali

      And soon we will be hearing that comments “here” by
      Communication 24/7 are not coming from the real
      Communication 24/7.

    2. P4TR10T

      The only way to prove yourself Communication 247 is to expose the real frauds. As long as we don’t have that, we will just make our conclude from the screenshots in the article. What is it they say again, a picture is worth a thousand words

    3. Prosper Chikomo

      If you have the money why don’t you just go ahead and sue.

      Those responsible have complied with our request to remove the page and
      desist from using our portals to give credibility to their cause under
      threat of legal action. We will take legal action and sue for defamation
      and malicious damage if you do not retract your article and post an
      apology to Communication 247 immediately. You have one hour to remove
      the article.

      You have no case.

      And no person in his sane mind will promote Communication24/7 properties for no reason. If you paid a spammer who went on to create fake “official” Facebook pages under the guise of “social marketing”, you must come clean.

      In fact, you would have greater credibility than you claim you have if you just state the facts – exactly what happened and naming the person who was responsible. Why are you protecting that person? Is it because you have no one to blame and it was actually you doing it?

      Those responsible have complied with our request to remove
      the page and desist from using our portals to give credibility to their cause
      under threat of legal action./blockquote>

      I admit, my English is pretty bad. If you could break that down maybe i would understand what you are trying to say in vernacular.

      1. KuraiMGT

        kikikiki In fact they have agreed that they knew the person and they were abetting a crime by at least not reporting a fraud case. They are now at the mercy of econet if it will want to sue.

    4. Uncle Rukus

      haha wat eva man

  10. P4TR10T

    And the fun begins. But on a more serious note Communications247 should support their claim. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence

    “TechZim has no concrete proof that Communication 247 is
    responsible for the facebook posting ” is not really a good defence you know.

    I wonder what will happen in 50 minutes

    1. L.S.M. Kabweza

      in 50 minutes we get sued 🙂

      1. Raymond Swart

        You know you have a great story when people threaten to sue.

        Just ask Mathew Inman of http://theoatmeal.com/blog/charity_money he managed to raise loads of money for charity as a result.

      2. ndozvinei

        we are behind you man

      3. Tatenda Dzumbira

        have u been sued yet….kikiki

    2. critic

      i have just seen this article, so has techzim been sued yet?kkkkkk

  11. BaDali

    So Communications247 seems to be in touch with the people who ran the fake page.

  12. P4TR10T

    The only way to prove yourselves Communication 247 is to expose the real frauds. As long as we don’t have that, we will just make our conclusion from the screenshots in the article. What is it they say again, a picture is worth a thousand words

    1. …ME THE EYE…

      thats exactly they have been doing but the techzim guys keepon removing the posts…you see what is happening there is more to this story….i bumped into one of the comments on this forum but funny thing it aint there…so what do you have to say about this mr patriot????

      1. P4TR10T

        Is that so? so maybe there’s more to what meets the eye. If you bump into another comment please take a screenshot, that sure would be drama

        1. …ME THE EYE…

          screenshots are there my friend but you know how it is…

        2. …ME THE EYE…

          i put one just now then i refreshed the page it was gone…what do you think patriot i dont know of these comm247 guys but out of mere sanity this is really funny…..i am the eye and i am watching…….hahahahahahkikikikiki

          1. Raymond Swart

            Don’t you feel foolish now

  13. ndozvinei

    so a fake econet page was ok until today wasnt it, real genious

  14. P4TR10T

    “You have one hour to remove the article ”
    And
    Communication 247 fires an empty threat, releasing that statement was just you shooting yourselves in the foot

  15. keith letters

    He he he. I like this. I’m just wondering why it took Communications247 a couple of minutes to have the fake page brought down as it associated with their brand and it was taking ages for Econet to have it shut down when the page was actually impersonating them?? And I would think for Communications247 to maintain a semblance of integrity and ethics, they should expose the person / group behind the page as they successfully got them to take down the page and possibly publish the apology they got? Failure / Silence would imply they themselves are somehow involved with the fake page. Just my two cents.. @ee4b288f9ab61d07449f2ba3faaefd5c:disqus , I still want to know your reasoning for saying this was / is a stupid article?

  16. Unfair

    Why do you keep on deleting Communication 247 posts?
    Give them a chance to respond to your allegations, come guys be fair

    1. L.S.M. Kabweza

      If that were true, we’d have nuked your comment by now, no?

  17. Pluto

    Why do you immediately conclude that Communication 247 created the fake account to promote their brands. Just because it is a well branded company and is abreast with technology, it doesn’t mean that they would use spamming measures to promote their site. Guys do not hate….give Communication 247 a chance to penetrate the Zim Market without your great efforts of pulling it down.

    1. P4TR10T

      @93e0f49d2de1974823568d5d1d8285a6:disqus I am by no means a communications247 hater nor I am being judgemental, but really ”
      Just because it is a well branded company and is abreast with technology ” is a bit to much credit to be giving such an unknown company. Yes, I said it, before this article I knew nothing of this “well branded” team, and I hadn’t even visited their website(that’s just me). But seriously, I find it strange they haven’t posted an official statement on their portals defending themselves. Not only is this good PR but it would go a long way in clearing their name. Then again that’s just me

  18. Raymond Swart

    So who is the individual that hurt your brands @comm247:disqus . Seems
    like the beef should be with them not Techzim who merely stated the
    facts. It hurts to be pointed at but honestly I think you’re taking the
    wrong route here.

  19. DIRTYMIND

    Its Alistair James MacNeilage Versus Soul Kabweza whose going to be the last man standing lol
    once u receive the summon pliz update us

    1. Raymond Swart

      It’s not a personal thing @disqus_Ar919zfh5g:disqus and shouldn’t been seen as such.

      I’m interested why the beef is with Techzim and not the individual. If someone hurt my brand and it was reported in the Herald I wouldn’t be taking Herald to court especially if I knew who the individual was. Plus I’d get the individual to PUBLICLY apologize to clear my brands name.

      Another thing how this guy got +17,000 in a few days or however long this “share and like” promotion is going, I’d like to get some tips on that.

      One things for sure not all the facts are on the table and somehow I think that is being done on purpose.

  20. Mhukahuru

    Just wondering why someone would create a Fake page to promote a company they are not linked to, Backlinks? #JustThinking#

    1. …ME THE EYE…

      true that thats the funny thing so in a way there is more to this story than we know off…trust me i have a good eye

  21. fiend

    good observation. lol. we have our fare share of drama

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