Online scams promising wealth surge in conflict-hit east DR Congo

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe (L) as Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner (2nd R) applauds after Rubio hosted a peace agreement between the two nations. [AFP]

Despite the two  major cities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo having fallen into the hands of the M23 militia, some residents are celebrating their newfound fortunes -- amassed through cryptocurrency trading.

Crypto trading is seemingly a silver bullet to the economic crisis plaguing the region, where banks have been ordered closed by the Kinshasa authorities to prevent the funding of the Rwanda-backed rebels, but it often conceals well-organised scams exploiting the already struggling population.