As economic pressure leaves many Belizean residents searching for quick access to credit, a long-standing local lending firm is sounding the alarm about a damaging impersonation scam targeting vulnerable borrowers. Doony’s Ltd., a payday loan provider with more than two decades of service across Belize, has confirmed that scammers are operating a fake social media page under the company’s brand, luring victims into paying an upfront $100 deposit in exchange for guaranteed instant loans.
In an interview with local reporters, Chiniqua Kemp, a customer service representative for Doony’s, clarified that the fraudulent operation has no affiliation whatsoever with the legitimate business. While Doony’s does offer instant payday loans to local customers, all application and processing must be completed in person at the company’s physical locations. Kemp emphasized that the firm never requires applicants to send or deposit money to any external account as a condition for loan approval, a core requirement the scammers are using to defraud consumers.
Kemp noted that this is not the first time bad actors have impersonated Doony’s to run this scheme. The company has already filed reports with relevant law enforcement and regulatory authorities, but scammers have continued to operate the fake page and target consumers. With widespread financial strain pushing more people to seek out small loans to cover emergency costs, Kemp said the company is particularly eager to spread the warning to prevent community members from losing money they can ill afford to part with.
“We’ve built our reputation over 20 years serving the Belizean community, which has supported us consistently through the years,” Kemp explained. “We don’t want anyone to get short-changed during this already difficult period.” Kemp added that any customer with questions about the legitimacy of a loan offer is encouraged to contact Doony’s directly or visit one of its in-person locations to confirm details before engaging.
The company also stressed that Doony’s is far from the only legitimate business being targeted by this brand of scam. Impersonation fraud, where scammers copy the branding and identity of trusted local companies to steal money from consumers, has become an increasingly common issue across social media platforms. Doony’s is urging all members of the public to exercise extreme caution when asked to send money online for financial services, and to verify all offers directly with the claimed company before taking any action.