Silverio Omari
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has announced the arrest of 792 suspects in a raid on a building suspected of being a hub for fraudsters who enticed victims with promises of romance before coercing them into investing in fake cryptocurrency schemes.
The raid took place on December 10 at the seven-storey Big Leaf Building in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, according to Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Among those detained were 148 Chinese nationals and 40 Filipinos.
The luxury building operated as a call center, primarily targeting individuals in the Americas and Europe. Uwujaren explained that employees used social media and messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp and Instagram, to approach potential victims. They either seduced them or presented seemingly lucrative investment opportunities to gain their trust.
Once victims were drawn in, they were pressured to transfer money into fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes or other non-existent ventures. “Nigerian accomplices were hired by the foreign masterminds to scout for victims online using phishing techniques, focusing on Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and citizens of various European nations,” Uwujaren revealed.
After securing the victims’ trust, the foreign operatives would take over and execute the fraudulent schemes, he added.
The EFCC is collaborating with international partners to investigate possible connections to organized crime networks. During the raid, agents confiscated computers, mobile phones, and vehicles used in the fraudulent operations.
Dj Vnyash
