The issue of online fraud has never been louder in Nigeria like how it is now. The arrest of Nigerian big boy, Ray Hushpuppi, by Dubai Police has seriously painted the country as a home of fraud.
Even more concerning is the type of fraud that these scammers are known for. Operatives of the Nigeria Police Cybercrime Unit, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja have now arrested three (3) suspects. The suspects are Samson Inegbenesun, Blessed Junior and Muhammed Zakari, all male and in their 30s.
According to a statement by the police spokesman, DCP Frank Mba on Sunday, July 12, the suspects were arrested for cyber-related offenses including advance fee fraud, money laundering and romance scam.
He said the suspects were arrested in Uromi, their hometown in Edo state following investigations into suspected fraudulent online procurement and supply of COVID-19 protective mask, received through the INTERPOL NCB Wiesbaden, Germany.
“Investigations reveal that Samson Inegbenosun is an internet fraudster and a member of a Turkey-based online scamming syndicate. “He supplies foreign and local bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds and use same as a conduit to other feeder accounts,” the statement revealed.
Mba said the police recovered a building apartment worth N20million from him, a Toyota RAV-4 2015 model worth N6.6million and a Toyota Matrix 2002 model valued at N2million. He said the second suspect, Blessed Junior, returned to Nigeria from Italy in February 2020 but maintains close contacts and illicit dealings with his Italian associates.
“Investigations reveal that he has made over N120million from internet fraud and other cybercrime dealings. “He also received the sum of 52,000 EUROs recently from his criminal associates in Italy as commission for his active involvement in an international cybercrime deal. “He also owns a filling station established with the proceeds of the crime,” DCP Mba said
The third person, Mohammed Zakari, is said to be an expert in internet fraud, identity theft and impersonation, and falsely claims to be a British citizen. “He also poses to be one Kelly Galk on online dating apps which he uses to carry out romance scams and to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, locally and internationally.
“Investigation reveals he has made millions of naira from his illicit cybercrime transactions since he joined the syndicate,” the statement concluded.
While the trio majored in facemask fraud, their counterpart, Hushpuppi, was allegedly involved in COVID-19 ventilator fraud. It goes without saying that it is shocking for people to scam their way through things that have to do with whether people live or die.
In the face of a pandemic, facemasks and ventilators should be the last thing anyone wants to profit from fraudulently. Do you think these scammers have any iota of humanity in them?
Lolo Ugo Queensley Kalu Reporting for Obinwannem News.
