Caleb Ahinakwah Secures DUBAWA Fact-Checking Award for Groundbreaking Telegram Phishing Scam Exposé

In the fight against digital deception, investigative journalism shines brightest. Life Pulse Daily’s Caleb Ahinakwah has clinched the DUBAWA Professor Karikari Fact-Checking and OSINT Fellowship Award for his compelling exposé on Telegram phishing rip-offs, highlighting the power of open-source intelligence (OSINT) in combating online fraud.

Introduction

The DUBAWA Fact-Checking Award recognizes excellence in verifying claims and exposing misinformation across West Africa. Caleb Ahinakwah, a dedicated reporter from Life Pulse Daily, stood out among over 40 submissions in the fact-checking and OSINT categories. His award-winning piece dissected Telegram phishing scams—deceptive schemes where fraudsters pose as trusted contacts on the messaging app to steal personal data and funds.

This achievement underscores the growing threat of Telegram phishing scams, which exploit the platform’s encrypted channels to target users in Ghana, Nigeria, and beyond. By blending rigorous fact-checking with OSINT tools, Ahinakwah delivered verifiable evidence that empowers readers to spot and avoid these rip-offs.

Why This Award Matters for Digital Safety

Awards like the DUBAWA honor not just stories, but tools for public protection. In an era where phishing attacks surge—reportedly costing billions annually—such exposés educate on scam tactics, fostering a savvier online community.

Analysis

The DUBAWA Professor Karikari Fact-Checking and OSINT Fellowship selected 40 fellows from six West African countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal. Over three months, participants mastered OSINT tools—publicly available data sources like social media archives, geolocation services, and metadata analyzers—to enhance digital verification and counter disinformation.

Caleb Ahinakwah’s Telegram phishing exposé exemplified this training. He traced scam networks operating on Telegram channels, revealing how perpetrators use fake investment schemes, romance lures, and urgent alerts to phish for credentials. His methodology involved cross-referencing IP addresses, reverse image searches, and blockchain traces, proving the scams’ cross-border operations.

Breakdown of the Fellowship Curriculum

The program emphasized discipline and excellence. Fellows tackled disinformation in security, health, sports, and public interest topics relevant to Africans. DUBAWA Editor Nathan Gadugah noted, “Each day in the fellowship was a great learning curve… lots of impactful stories were told.” This structured approach equips journalists to produce high-impact, evidence-based reporting.

Event Highlights from Abuja

The awards ceremony in Abuja formed part of the 2025 Media and Development Conference by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), themed “Reimagining Democracy, Development, and Data for the Next Decade.” Speakers included representatives praising fact-checkers’ role in democracy.

Summary

Life Pulse Daily journalist Caleb Ahinakwah won the DUBAWA Fact-Checking Award for his exposé on Telegram phishing rip-offs. Selected from 40 fellows across West Africa, he honed OSINT skills during a three-month program. The Abuja event featured commendations from DUBAWA, the Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, and Luminate, celebrating media’s democratic contributions. Published on November 27, 2025, this milestone spotlights fact-checking’s fight against phishing scams.

Key Points

Practical Advice

To shield against Telegram phishing scams exposed by Ahinakwah, adopt these verifiable strategies rooted in OSINT and cybersecurity best practices.

Spotting Telegram Phishing Tactics

Fraudsters create bogus groups promising quick riches or urgent aid. Verify sender identities via reverse image search on profile pics using tools like Google Images or TinEye. Check URLs in links with VirusTotal before clicking—phishing sites mimic legit ones like banks.

OSINT Tools for Personal Verification

Empower yourself like fellowship fellows:

• Maltego or SpiderFoot: Map scam networks from public data.
• WHOIS Lookup: Trace domain registrations for suspicious sites.
• Geolocation via EXIF: Analyze image metadata with Jeffrey’s Image Metadata Viewer.

Daily Protection Habits

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on Telegram, avoid sharing OTPs, and report scams via Telegram’s @notoscam bot. Use antivirus with phishing detection, like Malwarebytes, and educate family on red flags: unsolicited requests for money or data.

Points of Caution

Telegram phishing rip-offs evolve rapidly, often masquerading as crypto giveaways or job offers. Caution against “recovery scams” promising to reclaim lost funds—they’re secondary frauds. Misinformation amplifies these; always cross-verify claims with multiple sources.

Risks of Ignoring Fact-Checks

Falling victim leads to identity theft, financial loss, and eroded trust. In West Africa, such scams fuel economic instability. Fellowship insights warn: unverified shares on social media perpetuate disinformation cycles.

Comparison

Compared to other platforms, Telegram phishing thrives due to its large groups and privacy features, unlike WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption limits. Ahinakwah’s exposé parallels Dubawa’s past wins, like health misinformation busts during COVID-19, but stands unique in OSINT depth for app-specific scams.

Telegram vs. Email Phishing

This award elevates Ahinakwah alongside regional peers, like Nigeria’s FIJ reporters, in anti-scam journalism.

Legal Implications

Phishing scams, including Telegram variants, violate cybercrime laws across West Africa. Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038) criminalizes unauthorized access with up to 10 years imprisonment. Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act 2015 imposes fines and jail for fraud. Ahinakwah’s exposé aids enforcement by providing prosecutors verifiable evidence from OSINT traces.

Journalistic Protections

Fact-checkers enjoy shields under freedom of expression clauses in ECOWAS protocols, but must avoid defamation—Ahinakwah’s piece relied on public data, minimizing risks.

Conclusion

Caleb Ahinakwah’s DUBAWA Fact-Checking Award for his Telegram phishing exposé marks a victory for Life Pulse Daily and West African journalism. It demonstrates OSINT’s transformative role in exposing scams, building public trust, and safeguarding democracy. As Nathan Gadugah and international partners affirmed, such work carries “weight, courage, and purpose.” Readers, armed with these insights, can join the fight—verify, protect, and share responsibly.

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