ACROSS Nigeria, self-styled healers continue to promote herbal ‘cures’ for HIV, charging desperate patients hefty sums for unverified treatments. The ICIR digs into the HIV healing drugs scams promoted on social media.
Despite scientific consensus that no known cure for HIV virus exists, these individuals flood social media and messaging platforms with promises of total healing. The ICIR uncovers a troubling pattern; once payments are made, the supposed healers disappear, leaving behind stories of deception, financial loss, and renewed despair among people living with the virus.
When ad is ‘too-good-to-be-true’, welcome to ‘Ancient Herbal Secrets’
In the course of this investigation, The ICIR reporter stumbled on a sponsored Facebook advertisements claiming to cure HIV. The claim stood out, given that HIV has no known cure but can only be managed through the consistent use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.
Posted on a Facebook page, the advert called ‘Ancient Herbal Secrets’, featured a graphic message urging users to “ditch ARVs” in favour of a supposed herbal cure called ‘K28 Xleya’, said to be produced by a company called H & H.
The post reads: “For years, people were told HIV can only be managed by taking ARV daily. But now, Nature has given us K28 Xleya which removes HIV viruses from your body completely. It is the breakthrough solution that has helped thousands of people get totally free from HIV.”
A link attached to the post — https://curehiv.online/ (archived here) directed users to a website where the drug could be purchased.
Worrying level of engagement
Since its publication in February 2025, the post garnered over 1,700 likes, 1,900 comments, and 571 shares, a worrying level of engagement for a misleading health claim.
The comments section was filled with users asking how and where to buy the drug, reflecting both high demand and widespread misinformation about HIV treatment in Nigeria.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 39.5 million people were living with HIV as of 2023, with the majority in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria ranks as the country with the second-highest number of HIV patients (about 2 million), after South Africa.
Although the introduction of ARVs has significantly improved life expectancy and reduced transmission rates, fake cure claims remain persistent, exploiting social media algorithms and public health gaps. Health experts have consistently warned that no herbal mixture or alternative therapy can cure HIV. Still, the combination of desperation, misinformation, and distrust in the health system fuels demand for such unverified products.
Precious Ada, a drug store owner in Imo state, one of the Facebook users who had commented on the post, told The ICIR that she had intended to get the drug for a customer who had tested positive, but hadn’t been able to continue with the order as her patients did not have the funds.
“I never ordered the drug, so I didn’t give them any money”, Ada said.
When asked where her client had been getting her treatment previously and what prompted her to make inquiries in the comments section, she said her patient had been going to the Hospital for ARVs, and she had believed the post which claimed the drug would cure HIV.
“She had always been going to the General Hospital for treatment, but they said the drug would cure it, so I decided to try,” she added.
Other users The ICIR had reached out to who had commented on the same post were either inactive or had seen the message and chose not to respond.
Inside the fake cure scheme
With the United States president, Donald Trump, cutting off USAID funding (ARVs) to Nigeria and other African countries, claims about medicines that supposedly cure HIV have gained traction. This reporter sought to verify such claims.
She clicked on the link, which led her to the website with an advert that was emotionally charged, appealing directly to the fears and frustrations of people living with HIV.
In one of persuasive messages, it asked: “Are you tired of taking ARVs daily? Are you afraid of the stigma? Do you want to live freely again?”
The post positioned K28 Xleya as a “ground breaking solution” that could eliminate the virus from the body, a claim that contradicts all established medical knowledge.
It promised total healing within 45 days, assuring users that the drug was “tested and proven,” free from side effects, and produced by H&H Pharmaceuticals, a supposedly registered Nigerian company.
A pattern of health scams
The tone of the promotion mirrored the tactics of typical health scams, offering hope, urgency, and social reassurance. The sellers claimed that ARVs merely suppress the virus, while K28 Xleya would “cure HIV completely.”
A screenshot of the home page of the website PC: Fatimah Quadri/ The ICIR
The drug, priced at ₦160,000 per bottle, was being discounted to ₦60,000, after which customers were required to send in a video testimonial. It was marketed as the only true cure for HIV, with promises that users would test negative after the treatment.
Such claims, framed around emotional triggers like fear, shame, and the desire for acceptance, exploit the vulnerability of people living with HIV and fuel the spread of dangerous misinformation online.
Although she eventually held back, Ada admitted that if her client had been able to raise the money, she would likely have gone ahead with the purchase.
The drug’s heavily discounted price and the persuasive tone of the advertisement made the offer appear urgent and convincing, a deal that seemed too good for someone desperate for a cure.
A business front
The website also displayed screenshots of WhatsApp testimonials and included a form for interested individuals to fill out. When this reporter submitted her details, she received an automated message thanking her for ordering K28 Xleya, assuring a guaranteed cure, and promising a follow-up call within 24 to 72 hours. A customer service line — 09010888882 — was provided, creating an impression of legitimacy.
Screenshot of the message after inputting the details, PC: Fatimah Quadri/ The ICIR
After the promised time frame passed with no response, the reporter reached out to the contact on WhatsApp, following several unsuccessful calls to the line. Two days later, the number replied with only the price of the drug and did not respond to further inquiries, including whether the drug could be picked up physically from the listed business address in Abuja.
Following this, the reporter visited the address provided in the about section of the business on WhatsApp. The location, which was an estate in Abuja, turned out to be a residential apartment. The occupant said they have no knowledge of the sale of the drug. She even checked with neighbours and attempted to call the number herself, but all efforts were unsuccessful.
“This is why someone has to be careful when buying something online,” she warned.
Scattered adverts, same scam
Further findings revealed that the advertisements for K28 Xleya were not limited to the website or Facebook. Similar posts were scattered across TikTok (archived here) and Instagram (archived here), often using the same messaging, graphics, and emotional appeals to lure potential buyers.
The adverts appeared under different accounts and usernames, sometimes recycled or slightly altered, which amplified the scam’s reach and made the fraudulent claims seem more credible through repeated exposure.
This multi-account, multi-platform presence clearly shows how online scams exploit several channels and identities to target vulnerable individuals.
Scam sponsors
After interacting with one of the accounts, The ICIR confirmed that at least one of the adverts was sponsored. The account handler, who identified himself as a blogger, explained that he had been contracted to promote the product and was not directly involved in its sale.
“I am a blogger and only advertised for the company, but I will send the pharmacist’s number to you so you can contact him,” the user, identified as Gistworld, said.
When asked whether he had received any feedback from customers who purchased the drug, he said that while some people complained about delivery delays, others claimed it worked for them.
“A few persons complained about the delay in delivery, but some actually confirmed it worked for them. It all depends on your conversation with the pharmacist; we have individual differences. But the medication works; I got it for my kid brother, and it helped a lot,” he told The ICIR.
However, when requested to provide the contacts of those customers, he said he had not saved any of their details.
Tracing the pharmacist
Posing as an interested buyer, The ICIR reached out to the pharmacist through a contact shared by Gistworld. The conversation began with routine inquiries about the drug, its dosage, and cost.
The supposed pharmacist, identified as Joseph, explained that a single bottle of the drug cost ₦60,000 (discounted from ₦160,000) and was meant to last 45 days. He added that the main dosage required two bottles, after which a test would be conducted to confirm if the infection had been totally eradicated.
When asked about payment, the pharmacist insisted on upfront payment, but later agreed that customers buying two bottles could pay 80 per cent upfront and the remaining 20 per cent upon delivery. He provided a First Bank account number bearing the name Korayom Joseph Terlumun for the transaction.
The pharmacist also shared details of his business locations — one in Jos, Plateau State, at Angwan Soya, Zaria Road Bypass, opposite Jankwano Bingham University Teaching Hospital, and another in Gwarimpa, Abuja. He promised doorstep delivery through logistics companies such as GIG Logistics.
Throughout the chat, he maintained a polite tone, assuring that delivery was fast and top-notch. The payment was placed, and he requested delivery details. He sent an image of a packaged envelope bearing the receiver’s name and phone number.
However, after repeated follow-ups, the buyer did not receive any call or confirmation of delivery, raising further doubts about the authenticity of the business and its claims. Several messages to him went unanswered.
Screenshot of the reporter’s payment transaction receipts to Joseph Korayom for the supposed HIV “cure.” PC: Fatimah Quadri/The ICIR (We cannot provide any information about the ICIR reporter)
A check of both addresses provided by Korayom shows that it is the Jos and Gwarimpa Abuja addresses of a transportation logistics company, GIG Logistics.
Unmasking the identity
A background check on the name Korayom Joseph Terlumn revealed a campaign poster of a man contesting for the Mata State Constituency of Oshongo LGA in Benue State come 2027 as shared on Facebook [Archived here] by Gistworldng. The same name appeared on a LinkedIn account with matching photos.
This reporter observed that the image on both platforms also appeared as the profile photo on Gistworldng’s WhatsApp account.
Photo collage showing similar images found through a name search on Facebook and LinkedIn, matching Gistworld’s profile picture on WhatsApp.
However, the WhatsApp profile picture of Joseph,” who claimed to represent the company behind the drug, was of a different person. A Google reverse image search showed that the photo belonged to Hon. Saater Tiseer, the Majority Leader of the Benue State House of Assembly and member representing Mbagwa State Constituency. The ICIRcould not independently verify if the image was being used for impersonation.
Efforts to reach the lawmaker, Saater Tiseer, proved abortive, as calls to the phone number obtained by The ICIR returned a voice message that the number was not assigned. Meanwhile, The ICIR also gathered that Tiseer is currently on a six-month suspension by the Benue State House of Assembly following allegations of gross misconduct
H&H Pharmaceuticals inactive
A search on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) website showed that H&H Pharmaceuticals, the company name linked to the product, was registered in January 2021. The record also showed that its status is inactive, indicating that it is no longer in operation or has failed to file its annual returns. A legal search on CAC portal showed only the name H & H Herbal Pharmaceuticals Limited.
A check on both phone numbers using the True caller app also showed a link between the two individuals. PC: Fatimah Quadri/ The ICIR
When the pharmacist Joseph’s number was searched, True caller returned the name Joe Creed Links (Korayom). Running Gistworld’s contact number produced the name Joseph Korayom Terlumn. These details overlap, as Joseph Korayom Terlumn is the same name that appears on the bank account details provided by the supposed pharmacist.
At the same time, Gistworld identifies as Joe Creed on his WhatsApp profile. PC: Fatimah Quadri/ The ICIR
Truecaller identifies phone numbers by using a large, crowd-sourced database built from user-uploaded contacts and publicly available data. When a number is searched or a call comes in, the app matches it against this database and displays the associated name or label.
When health scams meet financial fraud
This pattern reflects a growing trend in which scammers combine financial and health-related fraud to target unsuspecting victims. By creating fake company profiles and using social media adverts, they exploit victims’ fear and desperation for cures to make quick financial gains.
Experts say such schemes are becoming increasingly common, with health scams now adopting the same digital marketing tactics used in advance-fee and investment frauds. Beyond the financial loss, victims also risk their health by consuming unverified or unsafe substances.
Speaking with The ICIR, Mayowa Tijani, Director of Projects at The Cable, stated that Online health scams persist because enforcement is weak and shutting them down on social media works like a whack-a-mole cycle—once one page is removed, another quickly appears.
“The people’s angle on the thing is that people look for easy alternatives to the proper. Because the healthcare system is not totally adequate, and so anything that can promise quick relief at low prices, people are often open to it and because they are also targeting certain. A media literacy for the targeted adults that can sort of reduce the depth of these kinds of scams,” he said.
Tijani added that paid adverts and cloned identities remain major challenges on social media in Nigeria, as many accounts can still be created without linking to a real name, phone number, or email, making it easy for bad actors to operate anonymously.
“New features that show an account’s location can be bypassed, as users can set up accounts in one country and appear to be elsewhere. As long as creating untraceable accounts remains simple, these scams will continue,” he noted.
He also added that enforcement is limited by technology and manpower, stating that Regulatory bodies like the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) cannot vet the thousands of ads posted daily, and Nigeria lacks the AI tools and systems needed to monitor activity at scale.
When The ICIR contacted Joseph Korayom through the two WhatsApp numbers (Pharmacist Joe and Gist World) linked to his operations. He initially did not respond. However, when reached via a phone call on the line he uses under the name “Gist World,” he confirmed his identity.
When confronted with the findings of this investigation, he demanded to know who had accused him. After the reporter informed him that he had scammed her, he abruptly ended the call. Subsequent attempts to reach him on the number he uses as “Pharmacist Joe” were ignored, and he later blocked the reporter on WhatsApp on both lines.
The ICIR also contacted the Director of Post-Marketing Surveillance at NAFDAC, Fraden Bitrus, to verify the agency’s awareness of the claims and public complaints. He requested that the questions be sent to him but had not responded at the time of filing this report.
Tijani said journalists investigating online health scams must accept that there is always some level of risk, as there is no completely risk-free method. However, they can reduce exposure by avoiding the use of their personal accounts or digital footprints.
Instead, creating separate anonymous or “burner” accounts can help them monitor scam networks without being easily traced adding that while experienced syndicates rarely slip up, consistent tracking may reveal occasional mistakes that journalists can use to gather clues.
The K28 Xleya case exemplifies this intersection of health and financial scams. By presenting itself as a revolutionary HIV cure backed by a registered pharmaceutical company, it draws credibility from official-sounding names, fake testimonials, and sponsored social media promotions.
The elaborate setup from websites and automated messages to coordinated WhatsApp communication is designed to create an illusion of legitimacy, ultimately preying on vulnerable individuals seeking hope and healing.
This report done by FactCheckHub reporter was republished from The ICIR
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org.
