Scam from Cambodia
Fake World Bank loan ads lure Bangladeshi users on Meta platforms
“Assalamu alaikum. Welcome to the World Bank. Our bank is offering online loans ranging from BDT 50,000 to 2 million for the period of one to five years, at just 2.4 percent interest. Please text us and let us know how much you want to borrow and for how long. Thank you for being with the World Bank.”
In a 15‑second video posted on a Facebook page called Digital Loan Service, two AI‑generated women make these claims, presenting the offer as a loan service of the World Bank. The same video has also circulated as a sponsored ad across multiple other Meta platforms, including Messenger and Instagram.
An investigation by Dismislab has found that the World Bank offers no such loans. In fact, over the past two years, the global lender has issued warnings on its official Facebook page at least on two occasions, cautioning the public against fraudulent loan schemes operating in its name.
The World Bank is not the only institution being impersonated in the scam. Ads offering microloans in the names of Bangladesh Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Vision Bangladesh, and Bank of America have also been circulating from at least 26 Facebook pages. Under the guise of providing financial assistance, these pages misuse the names and identities of national and international institutions to lure users into deceptive loan offers.
Most of the pages operate from Cambodia, while a few are managed jointly from Cambodia and Bangladesh, pointing to the transnational nature of the scam networks targeting Bangladeshi users. Further analysis shows that multiple Facebook pages ran identical ads, suggesting possible coordination.
In each case, users are asked to contact the page directly to apply for a loan. Clicking on the ads redirects them to the pages’ Messenger inboxes, where the operators request personal information, including national ID details, phone numbers, and photographs, and demand upfront fees for the loan approval.
As part of this investigation, Dismislab contacted 10 such Facebook pages and followed the instructions to document how the operations function, but did not make any payment.
Despite these clear and recurring patterns, most of the ads remain active across Meta platforms. The content violates Meta’s stated policies on fraud, scams, and deceptive practices, yet continues to surface as new pages pop up to run similar ads and target users.
Fraudulent ads from fraudulent pages
Dismislab began this investigation after a Facebook ad offering loans on “easy terms” surfaced from a page using the World Bank’s logo as its profile picture on April 10, 2026. The transparency section of the page, WB Small Loan BD, shows it operates from Cambodia. Subsequently, Dismislab searched Meta’s Ad Library using keywords such as “easy loan facility” and “loans on easy terms.” Researchers identified at least 25 additional Facebook pages running similar ads, all operating from Cambodia.
Between April 11 and 15, Dismislab documented at least 37 active ads across these pages. Many of the ads reused the same videos, images, and captions across multiple pages, while falsely claiming to offer loans by using the names and official logos of reputed national and international institutions.
The misuse of the World Bank’s name and logo was the most prevalent. At least 22 ads run from 15 different pages claimed that the offer came from the World Bank. Ads from other pages used the names and identities of Bangladesh Bank; the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); World Vision Bangladesh; and Bank of America. In some cases, the names and identities of the International Chamber of Commerce and the US‑based First Horizon Bank were also used.
At least 19 Facebook pages ran ads created using Google’s AI video generation tool, Veo. These videos carried a visible “Veo” watermark in the lower‑right corner. An analysis using Hive Moderation, an AI content‑detection tool, indicated a nearly 100 percent likelihood that both the visuals and audios in these ads were AI-generated.
One page called Khudra Rin Prokolpo (Micro Loan Project) even used a photo of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in an ad offering loans for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. The same page ran another ad offering IFAD-funded loans ranging from BDT 50,000 to 3 million for up to 10 years. The page used the IFAD logo as its profile picture.
In another instance, an advertisement promoting an “ICC–Bangladesh Micro Loan Project” used an AI‑generated image of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who recently served as Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government.
Another ad by MicrofinanceBD used the first 13 seconds of a three-year-old video report from ATN Bangla. In the clip, a news presenter says, “For the first time, working people are receiving loans through a mobile app. After applying through the e‑loan app without any paperwork, online verification is completed and the loan amount is deposited into the customer’s bank account within 15 minutes.”
The profile picture of the page features the official logo of the Government of Bangladesh. Shortly after, another individual claimed the loans were from the World Bank. Yet another voice quickly jumps in: “Yes, friends, you heard that right. The World Bank is not only providing you with loans–it is offering courage, dreams, and a promise to stand by you. From the World Bank, you can receive business loans, agricultural loans, expatriate loans, emergency loans, women entrepreneur loans, education loans, and many more. So friends, why wait? Apply today from the comfort of your home to get a loan easily and without hassle from the World Bank. Visit the World Bank now or message our Facebook page.”
However, the original report aired on ATN Bangla in December 2022 stated that the e‑loan initiative was undertaken by Dhaka Bank, a commercial bank in Bangladesh. The report said, “Following final approval from the Bangladesh central bank, Dhaka Bank aims to disburse loans ranging from BDT 10,000 to 300,000 through its e‑loan service starting early next year.” In the scam ad, this portion of the original broadcast was removed, and a new segment invoking the World Bank was inserted into the version of the video circulated as an advertisement.
Same video, same message: Tracing the source
An analysis of the ads shows that identical videos and messages were used across multiple Facebook pages. One AI‑generated video, in which two women promote loans purportedly offered on behalf of the World Bank, was used in ads run from at least 10 pages. These ads make identical claims: that the World Bank is offering online loans ranging from BDT 50,000 to 2 million for up to five years, at just 2.4 percent interest rate.
Another set of ads, run from at least four different pages, carried the same message: “You can now easily apply from home for loans ranging from BDT 50,000 to 3 million. Through our institution, you can apply for all types of loans, including business loans, personal loans, expatriate loans, and more.”
Various ads were also found targeting migrant workers and those seeking overseas employment, falsely claiming that the World Bank has introduced low‑interest, easy loan facilities for expatriates. One such message states, “The World Bank has brought low‑interest, easy loan facilities for expatriates. Through a simple online application, you can even take out loans from us to meet urgent needs while living abroad.”
Across nearly all the pages, the stated interest rates, minimum and maximum loan amounts, and repayment periods are largely identical. In each case, users are instructed to contact the page directly to apply for a loan. Clicking on the advertisements redirects users to the pages’ Messenger inboxes for direct communication with the page operators.
Facebook’s transparency sections show 23 of the 26 pages operate from Cambodia, while the remaining three are managed jointly from Bangladesh and Cambodia. Of these pages, 11 were created in 2026, 13 in 2025, and two in 2024.
Many pages also frequently change their names. For example, one page created on June 20, 2025, initially operated under the name Ajker Taja Khobor 24/7. Just eight days later, the page was renamed Jonokollyan Songstha (Public Welfare Organisation). Two other pages – BD Loan Service.01 and Digital loan Service – renamed themselves on multiple occasions.
The loan trap
To better understand how these operations function, Dismislab contacted 10 of the Facebook pages running the loan ads. Seven of the pages directed inquiries about loans or applications to WhatsApp, IMO, or Messenger links. When Dismislab contacted the WhatsApp numbers provided by two of the pages–Bangladesh Khudra Loan Prokolpo and BD Loan Service 1–a person answered the calls, claiming he represented the World Bank. The man, who spoke in Bangla, said that the Bangladesh government is implementing several projects, including a microloan program, through the World Bank.
He further claimed that the program offers a wide range of loans, including business loans, salary loans, farm loans, house loans, personal loans, expatriate loans, construction loans, and car loans. He then asked what type of loan was needed, how much and for how long.
The next step involves sending a list of documents for the loan approval. These include photographs of the applicant, images of their national identity card, mobile phone number, copies of household electricity bills, details of the nominee and their relationship to the applicant, photographs of the nominee, images of the nominee’s national identity card, and the nominee’s mobile phone number.
As part of this investigation, the Dismislab team submitted two fake national identity card images. But refused to submit other documents required for the loan application.
Even after the Dismislab team declined to provide any further documents beyond these two fake identity cards, the man raised no objection to proceeding with the loan approval process. To receive the funds, he now requested a photocopy of a bank account chequebook or a mobile banking number. He further stated that, following verification, a deposit of BDT 6,000 would be required as “savings” in order to secure the loan.
The Dismislab team was subsequently contacted repeatedly and urged to deposit the amount. When told that BDT 6,000 was too much, the person said that BDT 5,000 would also be acceptable. He also claimed that the loan would be disbursed the same day once the “savings” amount was sent.
In March 2026, Phnom Penh police arrested six Bangladeshi nationals during a raid on a suspected scam centre in Cambodia’s Sen Sok district, following allegations of similar fraudulent activities. According to Cambodian news outlet Khmer Times, the suspects used forged documents to gain the trust of victims and demanded advance “service fees” as a condition for loan approval. The same pattern was observed in Dismislab’s interactions with the operators of the fake loan pages. In both cases, users were asked to make upfront payments before any loan was disbursed.
The Khmer Times report noted that the key objective of the network was to use Cambodia as an operational base to defraud individuals in Bangladesh.
Separately, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) reported in May 2025 that cyber scams and online fraud in Cambodia generate an estimated annual revenue of more than USD 12.5 billion. According to the report, this figure amounts to nearly half of Cambodia’s gross domestic product (GDP). The organization also noted that many of the compounds housing these scam operations are owned by influential local figures or members of the country’s elite.
WB warned twice before
Fraudulent schemes involving the misuse of the World Bank’s name to offer fake loans are not new. On January 27, 2025, the World Bank’s Dhaka office issued a public statement addressing the issue. In the statement, published on its verified Facebook page, it warned: “The World Bank cautions everyone against fraudulent online schemes or investment activities. Scammers misuse the World Bank’s name and logo and lure individuals by offering loans in exchange for fees. The World Bank does not provide loans directly to individuals.”
On February 23 this year, the global lender provided further details on the issue in a “Frequently Asked Questions” post on the same Facebook page. In the statement, it said, “Scammers often misuse the name and logo of trusted organizations like the World Bank to make people believe they are dealing with a legitimate source. Such fraudulent activities–sometimes referred to as ‘advance fee fraud’–are carried out with the intent of deceiving individuals into handing over money or personal and financial information. Examples of such misuse include fake or unsolicited loan offers, individuals impersonating World Bank staff, and the use of forged World Bank identification cards and logos.”
The World Bank further noted that such fraudsters often seek personal information, demand upfront fees, or use forged documents to falsely establish their legitimacy.
A similar warning is prominently displayed at the top of the Bangladesh country page on the IFAD website. The notice states, “IFAD is aware of an incident of fraudulent activity being conducted in Bangladesh using IFAD’s name and logo. Please note, IFAD under no circumstances provides loans to individuals and does not request money or personal information in exchange for loans, grants, employment, training, participation in tenders, or involvement in projects.”
Scammers violate Meta policies
Despite this prohibition, advertisements engaging in such practices continue to run across Meta platforms. These ads follow a consistent pattern: misusing the names and logos of global institutions such as the World Bank and IFAD, and soliciting personal information and upfront payments from users under the guise of legitimate loan offers.
In a May 2025 article, The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta platforms have become a cornerstone for the internet-based fraud economy. Later that year, an investigation by the Tech Transparency Project identified 63 fraudulent advertisers running nearly 150,000 ads, including financial scams that used deepfake videos of prominent political and business figures. While Meta eventually removed some of the ads and accounts, the investigation found that fraudsters had already spent substantial sums before any enforcement action was taken.
On April 22, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging assistance in online fraud. The lawsuit claims that Meta is misleading users about the platform’s safety by prioritizing advertising revenue over the prevention of fraud.
