Rita Odafe
Mass Arrest of Foreign Nationals in Nigeria for Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended 792 individuals from various countries over suspected involvement in cryptocurrency and romance scams, which is the largest crackdown the agency has conducted to date.
According to an official announcement, among those detained are 148 individuals from China, 40 from the Philippines, two from Kazakhstan, one from Pakistan, and one from Indonesia. These arrests took place in a surprise raid at a seven-storey building known as the Big Leaf Building located at No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
This operation stemmed from credible intelligence and extensive monitoring of the suspects’ operations. The EFCC indicated that the foreign nationals utilized this seemingly legitimate corporate office to teach Nigerian partners approaches to executing romance and investment fraud, often using local identities to perpetrate their schemes.
The facility was well-equipped with advanced desktop computers, and certain floors were dedicated to criminal activities. Notably, on the fifth floor, investigators uncovered 500 SIM cards linked to local telecom networks, indicating their intent to engage in illegal activities.
The EFCC stated that these foreign suspects collaborated with Nigerian associates to target victims, primarily in countries such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, and several European nations, using phishing tactics.
‘’The Nigerian operatives were supplied with desktop computers and mobile devices to create fraudulent profiles for misleading victims into virtual romantic and business interactions.
Victims were engaged through platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, where the scammers typically posed as professionals or romantic interests. They coaxed victims into signing up on a fraudulent investment website, www.yooto.com, requiring them to pay fees starting at $35 to activate their accounts.
This successful enforcement action by the EFCC represents a significant disruption to the international syndicate carrying out these fraudulent schemes.
