A leaked screenshot from an alleged National Reading Culture (NRC) Telegram group chat has gone viral on social media, capturing the panic and desperation of investors following the reported collapse of the Ponzi scheme. The conversation, widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), shows members scrambling for answers after the platform stopped paying and administrators disappeared.
Investor Raises Alarm After Referrer Leaves Group
According to the screenshot, a group member identified as Bassey expressed fear upon waking to find that the person who had introduced them to the platform, Mr. Rex, had left the chat without explanation. Bassey wrote: 'Please my brothers and sisters, are we safe? Is NRC still paying? Because Mr. Rex that invited us into this group has left us o!'
'I just woke up to see admin left. Please, I don't want to cry this morning. Somebody explain this to me. I told him it was my rent and he asked me to trust him. Now where has he gone to?' Bassey added, revealing that the investment money was meant for rent.
Another group member, identified as Sharp Man, responded by reminding Bassey that several people had earlier warned him about the platform. Sharp Man wrote: 'Bassey, rest abeg. We tell you and your oga but you been dey defend am.'
Online Reactions Highlight Recurring Scam Patterns
An X user, @mrs_dimplesz, who shared the conversation, expressed surprise that many people continue to fall victim to similar investment schemes. She wrote: 'Why do people still fall for this scam over and over again. Before the end of this year, a similar platform will roll out and millions will still fall victim. After MMM, I swore never ever again.'
The reported collapse of the NRC platform has sparked widespread conversations online, with many Nigerians reflecting on recurring Ponzi scheme losses and investment risks. Comments on the post include:
- @babslawy2025 said: 'We are just a greedy and gullible people. There's a saying that if you want to cheat a wise man, you will have to make him greedy first.'
- @Ariaattah said: 'They all know it will fail, they think they will be able to pull/cash out before it crashes.'
- @Blackpea222 said: 'The get rich quick mindset.'
Developer Shares How He Avoided NRC Scam
In a related development, a Nigerian website developer shared how a single question he asked about NRC saved him from losing his money to the collapsed Ponzi scheme. The developer was approached on a Sunday with promises of immediate refunds and weekly dividends from NRC before its crash. According to Legit.ng, he questioned the legitimacy of the scheme and decided not to invest.
