Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested Akegor Godbless Omamuyowi for allegedly defrauding a Canadian woman.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Akegor, 34-year-old renowned chief in Agbarho community, was arrested at his palatial home in Ughelli, Delta State.
According to a statement by the EFCC, arrest of the suspected internet fraud kingpin, was triggered by a petition from a bank following complaints the Canadian woman.
The woman alleged that she had transferred the sum of 390,950.34 Canadian Dollar to two different accounts of the bank.
The EFCC said the suspect has made useful statement and would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are completed.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna Zonal Office of the EFCC on Thursday arraigned seven suspected SIM Swap criminals before Justice Mohammed Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court.
They are: Okafor Samuel Obinna, Chigbo Pascal Chidi, Oha Chukwujekwu, Ahamefula Francis Izuchukwu, Ugonna Nelson Owete, Ikenna Henry and Chinyere Aniobi Jessica.
Operatives of the EFCC had earlier in September, arrested six of them. They specialize in defrauding innocent Nigerians by using bank details obtained through their SIM cards swapped on Automated Teller Machine ATM.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Okafor Samuel Obinna, Chigbo Pascal Chidi, Oha Chukwujekwu, Ahamefula Francis Izuchukwu, Ugonna Nelson Owete, Ikenna Henry and Chinyere Aniobi Jessica and others now at large sometime in 2019 at Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court of justice Kaduna State with the intent to defraud falsely obtained the sum of N2,911,480.00 (Two Million Nine Hundred and Eleven Thousand Four Hundred and Eighty Naira) from the Diamond Bank (now Access Bank)account of one Abdulrauf Bolaji, which was transferred after his SIM swap to several accounts under the pretence that the said sum was transferred by him, which you all knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Following their plea, counsel for the EFCC, S.H. Sa’ad urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial, and for the remand of the defendants in Correctional Service
Counsel for the defence, Usman Liman, however, informed the court that his clients had opted for a plea bargain, and intended to change their plea to “guilty”.
In a short ruling, Justice Tukur, ordered that six of them be remanded in Correctional Service custody, while Jessica should be remanded in EFCC custody due to her ill health and fixed October 11, 2019 for “hearing on the plea bargain application”.
As the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to resume trial of Nigerian popstar, Naira Marley over fraud, frontline comedians have lent their voices voices against cybercrimes in the society.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports this took place when the frontline comedians visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday in support of the anti-graft agency’s enlightenment and preventive campaigns against the scourge.
The comedians, Mc Tagwaye, Ambassador Wahala and Chuks D General in an interactive session noted that some players in the entertainment industry are misleading the youth into cybercrimes through display of ostentatious lifestyles and unedifying content they make available to the public.
“We are pastors over unknown audiences, who are religiously looking up to us as entertainers. There is a need to be cautious of our contents and lifestyles so as not to mislead the general public into cybercrime,” Chuks D General said.
Ambassador Wahala observed that, “Role models in the entertainment industry are not telling their audience the true story behind their success. A lot of their followers are not seeing the work involved; they are misled by what they see and a lot of them are anxious to make it like these celebrities, they end up toeing the path of cybercrime as a quick access to making it to the top”.
He noted that comedians can aid the fight against cybercrime and corruption by developing contents that will speak to the conscience of the youth on the dangers of life on the fast lane.
“Entertainers can join hands with the Commission by taking the message down to the youths,” he said. While urging Nigerian youth to cooperate with the Commission by staying away from cybercrimes and embrace decent sources of livelihood, they commended the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu for his determination and passion to completely rid the country of corruption and for the successes so far recorded in the fight by the Commission.
Recall that singer Naira Marley was on the 14th of June released exactly 14 days after he was granted bail by the Ikoyi High court. The trial however resumes in a month time as Naira Marley needs to give answer to all charges leveled against him by the EFCC.
EFCC leveled an 11-count charge against Naira Marley. The alleged crimes were in contravention of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the Cyber Crimes Act, which he risks seven years in jail if found guilty. The charges with suit number FHC/L/178C/19 were filed before a Lagos State High Court. 10 days after his arrest, Naira Marley was arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
A Kwara High Court in Ilorin, on Thursday ordered that Joseph Oyediran, a Nigerian wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S.,who allegedly defrauded an American of N1.4 million, be remanded in a correctional facility,
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Oyediran,36, with five counts of internet fraud and other fraud-related offences, obtaining money under false pretences, among others.
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Nigerian Correction Service facility in Mandalla, Ilorin.
Abdulgafar adjourned the case until Sept. 29, for hearing.
The EFCC alleged that Oyediran, also known as Joe Graves, sometime in May 2015, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1. 4 million from Ms Andrea Smith, an American woman.
The EFCC Counsel, Mr Sesan Ola, said that the offence is punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud-related Offences Act.
Ola told the court, “My lord, we urge the court to accept the charge and allow the defendant to take his plea.
Counsel to the defendant, Mr M.A. Bello, however, did not object to the application.
Oyediran, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) says it is collaborating with Cisco Networking Academy to intensify awareness on cybercrimes, as the menace of Internet fraud continues to eat deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society.
The Acting Administrator of DBI, Mrs Viola Usoro, on Tuesday in Lagos during the 2019 Cisco African Academy Cyber Security Conference for English West and Central Africa said that as more and more organisations adopted new ICT technologies in their operations and processes, cybercrimes or cyber attacks had become the greatest threats to every business.
She said that hundreds of attacks hit computer systems everywhere around the world, and according to her, it is estimated that 54 per cent of companies, the world over, experience at least one cyber attack every year.
“According to a survey by Sophos Nigeria limited and Sidmach Technologies, 60 per cent of businesses and organisations every year suffer cyber attack in the form of malware, phishing, Ransomware, Crypto jacking and so forth.
“92.4 per cent of these are delivered via email. Although most of these attacks are not covered by the media, they all lead to losses in millions of naira. The need for Cyber Security Framework underscores the importance of cybersecurity.
“Most businesses try to prevent cyber attacks by securing their networks using various Antivirus Software, establishing more secure networks, yet statistics show that a huge percentage of cyber breaches result from human errors. This re-emphasises the need for awareness creation and capacity building,” she said.
The Acting Administrator said that the conference put special focus on cyber security projects, creating a hub where significant stakeholders create awareness and build capacity on cyber security.
She said that DBI was established by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the purpose of ICT capacity building across all economic sectors in Nigeria.
Usoro said that pursuant to this mandate, the Institute had in the past decade and a half, championed functional and innovative ICT education covering cyber security and other emerging technologies.
She said that in 2018, DBI along with other industry stakeholders formulated the National Operational Standards in ICT trade areas.
According to her, these standards, once approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), will form part of the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) to help regulate trainers and professionals in the ICT industry in Nigeria.
“In 2015, DBI became one of the six centres of excellence in Africa in the ITU ICT Academy Network and one of our focus areas is cybersecurity, where DBI will offer training on Cybersecurity and Cyber Threat Mitigation Strategies.
“I am persuaded the Cisco Network Academy will chart a most effective roadmap for awareness creation and capacity building in cyber security for the coming years.
“We anticipate that the programme will identify new strategies to deter or outrightly prevent cyber attacks in our country.
“Afterall, it is in our collective interest for cyberspace to be safe, open and secure,” she said.
The General Manager, Cisco Systems West Africa, Kunle Oloruntimehin, said that the Academy planned to train one million students by 2025.
Oloruntimehin said that of the one million, 125,000 students would be trained on cybersecurity, of which most of them would be from Nigeria.
“There are two important things in life, which are education and digitisation, and these two things are delivered by Cisco Networking Academy,” he said.
Alfie Hamid, Regional Manager for Africa, Corporate Affairs, Cisco said that there was the need for partnership to curb cybercrime, toward socio-economic development.
Hamid said that digital disruption was happening rapidly, on a massive scale.
He said that unfortunately, digital disruption drove the hacker economy, creating an ever-evolving, dynamic threat landscape.
As the menace of Internet fraud, also known as ‘yahoo yahoo’, continues to spread across Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has, between June 2018 and June 2019, arrested no fewer than 517 Internet fraudsters, aka ‘yahoo boys’, in Nigeria, including arresting singer Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, for suspected Internet fraud activities.
In this exclusive report, an analysis of Internet fraud, yahoo yahoo trend across the country by TheNewsGuru (TNG) shows that within the period under review, no fewer than 67 suspected Internet fraudsters were arraigned before a competent law court, including the arraignment of Naira Marley by the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
In what is the first comprehensive analysis of Internet fraudsters data in the country, TNG gathers that the EFCC, within the same period under review, secured no fewer than 191 convictions across the country, with Naira Marley still awaiting trial at the Lagos court, after his bail was secured, as the singer risks spending seven years in prison. Chart showing EFCC fight against Internet fraud
Data for this report, that was cleaned before analysis was done, was generated by combing reported cases of Internet fraud – cases of arrested Internet fraudsters, cases of arraigned Internet fraudsters and cases of convicted Internet fraudsters – by the EFCC, as the nation continues to grapple with the menace.
TNG findings, depicted in the infographics used in this report, show that while the financial crimes watchdog arrested ninety-three (93) Internet fraudsters in Oyo state, ranking the highest in the number of arrested Internet fraudsters in the country, the Commission arrested eighty-eight (88) in Ogun, fifty-five (55) in Lagos, fifty-one (51) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, and forty-nine (49) in Delta state. Infographic showing suspected Internet fraudsters arrested
In the analysis of numbers of suspected Internet fraudsters arraigned within the period under review, Oyo again recorded the highest number of suspected Internet fraudsters arraigned, being fourteen (14) cases. While Lagos reported thirteen (13) cases of suspected Internet fraudsters arraigned, Kwara reported nine (9), Edo and the FCT reported seven (7) cases each of suspected Internet fraudsters arraigned. Infographic showing suspected Internet fraudsters arraigned
An analysis of reported cases of convicted Internet fraudsters shows that Rivers state recorded a total number of forty-six (46) convictions; and while Oyo recorded twenty-nine (29) total convictions, Ogun recorded twenty-eight (28), Edo recorded twenty-three (23) and Lagos recorded (19). The jail term ranges from one (1) month, being the lowest observed to 35 years, being the highest observed. In fact, there were two cases of a long jail term. While the next longest jail term was 27 years, the average was between 4 and 6 months. Infographic showing convicted Internet fraudsters
Meanwhile, it was observed that the total number of convicted Internet fraudsters within the period under review was more than reported cases of Internet fraudsters arraigned before a competent law court. This is so as some Internet fraudsters arraigned outside the period under review were convicted within the period under review.
More significantly, no female suspected Internet fraudsters arrested by the EFCC were arraigned nor convicted by the Commission within the period. Out of 517 suspected Internet fraudsters arrested, twenty-three (23) were females. Map showing spread of Internet fraud in Nigeria
While no activities of Internet fraudsters were observed in States such as Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Ebonyi, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, from the map of Internet fraud in Nigeria attached above, it is obvious that the menace is rapidly spreading across the country, and according to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the country lost about N3.133 trillion to cybercrime annually, and even, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in a recent evaluation of nations in the Global Cyber-security Index placed Nigeria on number four in Africa.
Yahoo boys apprehended by the EFCC were mainly through intelligent reports. They employ various means to defraud their victims, the majority of who are foreigners. The fraudsters use social engineering, phishing emails, and text messages pretending to be sent from banks, requesting for Personal Identification Number (PIN) or revalidation of Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to defraud their victims.
The nature of fraud perpetrated also ranges from love scam – romance/dating scam by ‘catfishers’ – on dating site or social media, using fake identities and pseudo names, in which a male poses as a female and vice versa, to business scam – fake oil business deals, foreign job scam, fake agrochemical products deals, shopping scam and online marketing scam, also to facebook award scam and to facebook hackers, who specializes in hacking facebook users accounts with the view to defraud. Infographics showing EFCC fight against Internet fraud
Usually, the fraudsters, who fall into the age range of fifteen (15) to thirty-nine (39) years of age, rely on a picker to receive money from foreign victims. While some receive money from their victims through Western Union money transfer, others do so through gift cards – Amazon, iTunes and Play gift cards; and also, cases of access card frauds abound.
While a catfisher is an individual who uses the Internet, and in particular, online dating websites to lure people into romance scam, a picker is a fraudster that provides foreign accounts to other Internet fraudsters which they usually used to receive money from any unfortunate victim. A picker is allegedly paid 30% of the total amount received in any of such accounts.
Items recovered from the fraudsters, who operate in syndicates are modems, cameras, printers, keyboards, power banks, Wi-Fi devices, about 200 cars, over 250 laptops, over 1200 phones, over 2200 SIM cards, ATM cards, Indian hemp, Hard Disk Drives, wrist watches and un-used bullets.
Others are international passports, including ECOWAS passport; documents with false pretences, books/diaries of phone numbers and email addresses; fetish objects and charms, an indication that Internet fraud is the marriage of witchcraft to technology in Nigeria.
The sum of over N500,000,000.00, USD 3.2 million, 80,000 Euros, 10,000 Pounds were also reported within the period. According to the EFCC, monies and items recovered from Internet fraudsters are being restituted to victims through the federal government.
While this report may not capture the exact data of Internet fraud activities in the country as data were sourced from reported cases only, it does paint a picture of a body of growing data of Internet fraud activities presently eating deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society. More alarming is that there is a very new trend in the emergence of yahoo yahoo training school across the country.
Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday said criminals use SIM cards (phone lines) obtained illegally for specific time, for a particular fraud, and after which, discard them.
According to the EFCC Boss, “That is a problem because it gives room to commit a whole lot crimes”, adding that “that is why we are soliciting for your support in terms of regulations”.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Magu made the appeal through the Zonal Head of the Commission in the South-East, Usman Imam, while receiving the State Controller of NCC, Mrs. Emilia Nwokoro and her team who came on a courtesy call at the Independence Layout Zonal Office of the Commission.
He called for concerted efforts from stakeholders in the telecommunication sector especially from the NCC and other service providers in the fight against corruption.
“We thank you for coming here, you are one of our critical stakeholders, because we know that in every criminal activity be it 419 or any other form of scam, there is an element of telecommunication involved,” he said.
Noting the key role telephone lines plays in cyber crimes investigations and other forms of crimes, he emphasized on the imperative for the NCC to take the issue of SIM registration “very seriously”.
“We are willing to partner with organisations that add value to what we are doing. The gap between us has further been reduced because of your visit which will enable us now talk directly and exchange ideas.
“If we are able to tackle telecommunication challenges and frauds, many other frauds would be stopped. The system is that bad that there is no coordinated data management system in the country. But we have to start somewhere to get somewhere. You must do a lot in terms of enforcement,” he said.
As fraudsters continue to exploit the weaknesses of mobile apps, especially mobile banking apps, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said putting better authentication processes in place has become vital.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta stated this during a stakeholder’s forum on Financial Fraud Using Telecoms Platform the commission held on Tuesday.
The event was organized as a response to the inundated public complaints on the unceasing cases of financial fraud via the use of telecom platforms and is poised at seeking initiatives aimed at creating greater awareness on the issue as well as creating ways of addressing these challenges.
Danbatta, who delivered the welcome address, stated that the commission is poised for a robust infrastructure to support innovative technologies/services that will enhance the pursuit of excellence and development in all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“However, the malevolent use of this technology has become a growing concern in the industry, especially in the area of financial fraud.
“As mobile apps integration with online payment platforms and other financial resources have improved over the years, the proportion of legitimate trade conducted using mobile phones and other portable devices has also increased.
“Little wonder then that mobile channels have been seized by cyber-criminals as a new avenue for fraud.
“Mobile apps as a whole are now quite easy for hackers and cyber criminals to hijack, corrupt, making them tools for fraudsters to steal credentials, impersonate genuine account holders and gain illicit access to funds.
“Phishing tactics and social engineering ploys such as SIM Swap are part and parcel of the online fraud mechanism regardless of whether the transactions are conducted via mobile phone, desktop browser or point of presence.
“Fraudsters continuing to exploit these weaknesses, putting better authentication processes in place is vital,” he said.
Danbatta assured that the commission was collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and other relevant agencies in the fight against e-banking fraud.
He said, “Effective collaboration and private organisation is a tool to tackling the scourge that has besieged financial and telecoms sectors”.
At the panel discussion, telecom operators, financial institutions and regulators discussed ways to collaborate and prevent financial fraud.
The forum drew participants from several regulatory institutions, ministries, department, agencies, telecom companies, financial institutions, industry players, security agencies and members of the press amongst several others.
The Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered a total sum of N1,674,891,899.00 from 33 convicted Internet fraudsters so far in 2018.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Zonal Head of the commission, Mr. Nnaghe Obono Itam, disclosed this on Thursday in a news conference in Port Harcourt, where he also disclosed the commission recently arrested ten suspected Internet fraudsters.
He said the fraudsters were arrested in different locations and at different times across Port Harcourt, Warri and Asaba in a sting operation.
According to the EFCC, the suspects are Alia Jamike Chinemerem, Ogbiugba Ifeany Henry, Uchanna Cyril, Samuel Obomovo, Israel Ogagaoghene, Israel Diaso, Aghariagbonse Destiny, Aretuemhen Frank, Paul Esibhakpen and Loius Idehen.
“Investigations showed that the suspects were involved in love scam with many of them purporting to be officers of American Army.
“Various scam mails where the suspects posed as officers of US Army were traced to them.
“One of the suspects, Israel Diasco had successfully defrauded an Indian lady, Promilla Lama of huge amount of money still being verified.
“Another, Chinemerem, (alias Good Thaddy) confessed to be a picker,” the commission stated.
A picker is a fraudster that provides foreign accounts to other Internet fraudsters which they usually used to receive money from any unfortunate victim.
A picker is allegedly paid 30% of the total amount received in any of such accounts, according to the arrested fraudsters.
The Zonal Head of the commission also disclosed that the EFCC recovered $552,368. 55 and 5,225 Euros in the year from convicted fraudsters.
The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one Oke Omoniyi Benjamin, 33-years old from Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State, for internet fraud.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Benjamin was arrested sequel to an intelligent report received by the EFCC on 27th August, 2018, alleging that he is into internet fraud and has also defrauded a number of foreigners of their money through fraudulent schemes.
The report stated that Benjamin used the proceeds of his fraud to buy two cars, and also own a unisex salon known as Signatures Unisex Salon located at No. 238, Ilawe Road, opposite Baptist School, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
At the point of arrest, operatives of the Commission recovered an Acura TL, 2010 with Registration Number BDG 969FH and a Lexus ES 300, 2002 with Registration Number EPE 829FJ, two Laptops, two Phones, forged documents and several counterfeit cheques of various foreign Banks.
Benjamin, however, admitted to the allegations against him and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
A Nigerian couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $400,000 from a bank. The suspects, Isaac Chibunna, 50, and his wife, Rejoice Chibunna, 48, were arrested in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for allegedly stealing more than $400,000.
The deputy Police Chief of Prampi Makara district, Chea Sok, revealed that the husband and wife were arrested for defrauding the Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) of US $424,999 through electronic system.
Sok said: “Now the accused are in custody at the district police station and we will send them to court today (Monday). The arrests were made following the filing of a lawsuit by the victim, a 36-year-old representative of a bank and head of FTB Operations, in Tuol Kork district, identified as Leng Sovannavat.”
In the lawsuit, the accused are alleged to have stolen over $424,999. The deputy persecutor of Phnom Penh court, Mr. Reil Sophen, charged the couple as scammers before submitting the case before the judge and detaining the suspects.
The police said: “FTB bank received the information from City Bank from the USA about transferring money for 50,000 USD to Nigerian couple account at FTB bank on March 26, 2018.”
The reports revealed that the couple went to the FTB bank to withdraw 424,999 USD on March 29, and then transferred the money to China so they had only 15,869 USD left in their bank account.
It wasn’t until April 5, that the FTB bank got the information from City Bank in the USA that the Nigerian couple had scammed the money from City Bank’s client. The pulse.com also reports that all attempts by FTB bank to contact the couple by phone and email failed.
However, the suspects were arrested immediately they arrived at FTB bank to take the money left in their bank account.
