Chastanet says social media account with wife’s name is fake

CASTRIES – St Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet Friday distanced his wife and members of his cabinet from a fake profile on social media where people are being urged to support causes and other financial opportunities.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Chastanet said that the message which is being posted on Instagram “is impersonating my wife Raquel. This account has been messaging persons about supporting causes and other financial opportunities”.

“The account on Instagram is @raquelduboulaychastaneet. You will notice that the surname has an extra “e” and that the impersonator has gone to great lengths to make the profile look authentic.”

Chastanet said he was reminding the public that “at no point in time will my wife or any Government Minister message you directly via Facebook or Instagram to ask for your personal financial information or to make a donation towards a cause which cannot be verified”.

“When following accounts of public figures, please ensure that you carry out some checks to ensure that the account is genuine,” he said, adding that people should ensure that the spelling of the name and username is accurate, and whether there is a similar account using the same name.

“Most photos on impersonator accounts are posted without a caption (and) if you receive a message which involves you donating money or requests your financial details such as bank account  and credit/debit card info this is a major red flag,” he added. (CMC)