Tag: Hacker

Police arrest 2 who allegedly specialise in hacking bank customers’ accounts

The Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police has arrested two men, who allegedly specialise in hacking into bank customers’ accounts.

The Zonal Public Relations Officer, SP Hauwa Idris-Adamu, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Idris-Adamu said that the arrest followed a petition received from a bank by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Zone comprising Lagos and Ogun, Mr. Mohammed Ali.

“On the 8th of May 2023, a petition was submitted by United Bank for Africa (UBA) to the AIG that there are some syndicates that specialise on internet fraud of various banks in Nigeria, most especially United Bank for Africa (UBA).

“They hack into customers accounts and move their money.

“Based on the petition, the AIG raised a team of detectives from the Zonal Monitoring Unit, which swung into action with the aid of modern technology.

“The two suspects were tracked down at their hideout at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State,” she said.

According to the official, the suspects confessed to the crime.

“They confessed that they had many syndicates all over Nigeria and that they used software to hack into customers’ accounts and move their money undetected from any bank.

“The modus operandi of these fraudsters is to have a customer’s BVN-linked phone number for easy transfer of money.

“Consequently, over 1,000 customers’ accounts have been hacked and the customers defrauded across the country,” she said.

She said that further investigation into the incident revealed that members of the syndicates were from different parts of the country.

She said that efforts were being intensified to arrest all those connected with the crime.

According to her, the investigation is ongoing while the suspects will be arraigned on completion of investigation.

July 4, 2023
Lagos man remanded in prison for hacking Oniru’s Facebook account to defraud a Professor

Lagos-based man Agbolade Agbolahan has been remanded in prison by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State for allegedly hacking Oniru of Ireland’s Facebook account and thereafter using it to defraud a University professor of the sum of half a million naira.

In his defense, Agbolahan pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him by the Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He faces two counts of charge bordering on hacking and obtaining pretenses.

The police prosecutor, Mr. Slyvester Azubuike, told the court that the defendant hacked the Facebook account sometime in April 2022.

Azubuike told the Federal High Court that the culprit used the account to defraud a professor, Adesoji Adelaja, of the sum of N500,000.

According to him, the offenses are contrary to sections 22(2)(b)(ii) and 22(3) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.

Following his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked for a trial date and urged the court to remand Agbolahan in prison.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the matter for a hearing of the bail application and ordered the remand of the defendant.

Agbolahan risks five years imprisonment with hard labor if the court finds him guilty of the charges leveled against him.

July 22, 2022
Baba Dee exposes scammer who hacked Sound Sultan’s Instagram page

Baba Dee, Nigerian musician and actor has revealed the identity of the person who allegedly hacked the Instagram account of Sound Sultan, his late younger

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Baba Dee said the suspect, identified as Victor Majekodunmi, is currently “cooling off in police custody.”

“This is the face of the scammer that hacked into my brother @soundsultan Instagram account after his death. His name is victor Majekodunmi, a young with great potential yet so evil and heartless,” he wrote.

Baba Dee said the suspect deleted several of the late rapper’s memories.

The musician also appreciated those who made the arrest of Majekodunmi, whom he described as a “young, hardened criminal”, possible.

“He deleted a lot of his memories and chose to scam people by pretending to be @faridafasasi. I’m happy to announce that we have taken control of the account and he is presently cooling off in police custody,” he added.

“Thanks to everybody that showed concerned and helped nab young, hardened criminal. Thanks to my friends at the Nigerian police force, thanks to the Lagos state police commissioner, and special thanks you my special police friend on my page.”

December 4, 2021
Man hacks into server of Nigeria’s first generation bank, steals N1.87b

Salau Abdulmalik Femi has been arrested for allegedly infiltrating the Flex-Cube Universal Banking System of a first generation bank and scooping as much as N1.87 billion.

According to the Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, the suspect specializes in hacking into the server of banks and corporate agencies.

Femi, who displayed exemplary mastery of the cyber environment, was arrested after he hacked the Flex-Cube Universal Banking System of a certain bank.

The SFU spokesman, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Eyitayo Johnson, explained that the suspect, using application software, created fictitious credits totaling N1,868,900,000 on the accounts of three of the bank’s customers and successfully consummated debits – outflows- amounting to N417,542,000.00 through Internet Banking transfers to other banks.

Johnson further said: “The unit, while acting swiftly on petition from the bank; contacted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Deposit Money Banks whose customers were beneficiaries of the fraudulent funds and was able to salvage a substantial amount.

“Items recovered from the suspect include; Apple laptop and iPhone; while he and operators of BDCs used to launder the monies will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.”

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Unit, Anderson A. Bankole, scheduled a meeting with Chief Compliance Officers/and Head of Technology/Information Security Department of Banks with a view to brainstorming on the loophole exploited by this suspect and how to counter similar hacks, for the benefit of both the police and the banking sector.

August 13, 2021
Photo: EFCC arrests Access Bank hacker

Chris Ihebuzo, who claimed to have hacked Access Bank and extracted more than 2,000 customer’s data has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency announced the arrest of the self-acclaimed hacker in an Instagram post.

He is being held for cyberstalking.

According to the anti-graft agency, Chris was arrested in Benin City, Edo State after it received a petition from a new generation Bank.

Allegations against Chris was that in an online video, he claimed to be in possession of some personal information and Biometric Verification Numbers of over 2000 customers of the bank, which he claimed to have obtained after hacking into its database from his personal laptop computer.

Upon arrest, the laptop used to upload the viral video was recovered, and a printout of over 2000 bank details, including the BVN of customers of the bank.

12 blank ATM cards were also recovered from Chris. The ATM cards are suspected to be for the perpetration of his alleged criminal activity.

The anti-graft agency said that it is carrying out investigations to find other accomplices in the suspected crime.

It also said Chris would be charged to court immediately investigations are concluded.

September 12, 2020
Access Bank reassures stakeholder public after hacker claimed he stole its customers data

Access Bank Plc has assured customers and other stakeholder public at large that there are no threat to their account balances after Ihebuzo Chris, a Nigerian hacker, demonstrated that the walls built around bank’s network are vulnerable.

In a tweet yesterday, Access Bank said that “criminals have posted pages purporting to contain customer account information. We’ve alerted law enforcement agencies and ask that you ignore the post.

There is no threat to your account balances. Please continue to follow security protocol by never sharing your account details” the bank said.

The reaction came after Chris, who calls himself a python on Twitter reportedly gained access and extracted the data of over 2,000 customers of the bank.

In a viral video, he showed the print out of the customer accounts, including their BVN, account numbers and other details.

He also, possibly inadvertently blew his own cover, an error that may easily make him a candidate for jail.

Chris, didn’t plan to steal money from the accounts, according to the video, he just wanted to show that the Access Bank computers are not impregnable.

According to him, he could debit customers’ accounts without their consent owing to the information he has.

He claimed he went deep into the Bank’s computer without their permission.

He blamed the bank for loose security, saying he is not a staff and only a guy with a computer.

September 1, 2020
NITDA warns against ‘panic message’ circulating on WhatsApp

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has identified a file being circulated on WhatsApp tagged ‘Argentina is Doing it’, as fake news and warned the general public to avoid opening the link.

Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations of the NITDA, who gave the warning in a statement on Saturday, warned the public to be wary of opening the message that warns recipients not to open a video file called ”Argentina Is Doing It” as it will hack their phone in 10 seconds.

According to Umar, the message has been identified as fake, stressing that it exhibits some of the characteristics of fake/hoax messages and that those behind it gave it credibility by claiming the Cable News Network (CNN) reported it.

“The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in line with its efforts at enlightening Nigerians on the nefarious actions of cybercriminals exploiting the COVID-19 Pandemic to mislead and defraud unsuspecting victims, would like to bring to the attention of the general public the recent COVID-19-related fake news in circulation.

“The fake news tagged “Argentina Is Doing It”, being circulated over social media, particularly on WhatsApp, is aimed at causing panic and inducing terror in individuals. The message warns the recipient not to open a video file called ”Argentina Is Doing It” as it will hack their phone in 10 seconds. Furthermore, in order to lend credibility to the message, the message falsely claims that the Cable News Network (CNN) also reported it.

“This message has been identified as fake as it exhibits some of the following characteristics of fake/hoax messages: the message content includes instructions to forward the message; the sender claims some kind of affiliation with a credible source or organization; the message aims to induce panic or shock the recipient, often making impossible claims or serious consequences about the effect of the virus or malicious software; and the messages contains alarming languages tending to emphasize the urgent nature of the threat.

“The general public is therefore urged to disregard this as there is no CNN article regarding this hoax. Furthermore, the message is a variant of a similar message in circulation since 2017. NITDA calls on all well-meaning Nigerians to support the Federal Government in its efforts at containing the spread of COVID-19 in the country by not spreading fake news. We are also encouraged to strictly adhere to recommendations given by health experts, and follow updates from verified sources of the relevant agencies handling this outbreak,” Umar stated.

July 19, 2020