Journalists’ Malaysia Visit Puts QNET’s Business Model and Anti-Scam Measures in Focus
Journalists from Liberia and Sierra Leone shared accounts of their visit to QNET’s Malaysian headquarters as the company outlined measures to prevent misuse of its name and products.
At a QNET VCON Malaysia 2026 media webinar on Thursday, 22 October 2026, hosted by Amin Kef Sesay, Managing Editor of The Calabash Newspaper, the company reiterated that it does not tolerate the use of its name in scams, deceptive job offers, coercion or illegal cross-border movement.
Cherif Sarr, QNET’s Regional General Manager for West and Central Africa, said the company has introduced a Business 2U accreditation process. Under the process, independent distributors must be verified, meet regulatory requirements and receive authorisation before operating independent offices.
Sarr said QNET had terminated 141 distributor accounts for non-compliance between 2025 and the briefing. He said 26 of those accounts were linked to facilitating false cross-border movement. The company also reported 158 cases to authorities and helped more than 3,000 victims return to their countries or families, he said.
QNET urged the public to report suspicious offices claiming to represent the company. It also highlighted its “QNET Against Scams” campaign, launched in August 2024 to raise awareness and provide channels for reporting suspected fraud. The campaign has been implemented in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Senegal, with plans to expand its reach.
Marlene Keur, Head of Communications and Global PR for QI Group, QNET’s parent company, said the business model is based on independent distributors promoting and selling products, with commissions earned from product sales—not recruitment. She said QNET’s public compliance portal explains its code of conduct and identifies prohibited “red line” offences.
The webinar also featured testimonials from journalists who visited QNET’s headquarters in Malaysia in September. Cecilia Sesay, a television presenter at the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, described the trip as eye-opening. She said she saw the company’s office, products and professional staff, and had the opportunity to ask QNET management difficult questions about the company and the misuse of its brand in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Blamo Toe, a reporter with Liberian Investigator, recounted visiting QNET’s head office and product gallery, attending a company briefing and visiting QI University. He also described attending the opening of VCON, which brought together thousands of independent distributors from various countries, and a press conference with QNET executives. Toe said the executives answered questions about the company’s operations transparently and genuinely.
QNET said it plans to continue working with media organisations and authorities to encourage accurate reporting and protect the public from scams carried out in its name.
Since 2022, the company has invited journalists and social media influencers from across Africa to visit its Malaysian headquarters and attend VCON, its global conference. QNET says the visits help participants learn about the business and share their observations with colleagues and the public.
