Country intensifies crackdown on online fraudsters using romance to entice victims into fake cryptocurrency schemes.
This move by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is part of a broader campaign to tackle online scam operations that have been deceiving victims into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes through romantic online relationships.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed to AFP that an additional group consisting of 39 Filipinos, 10 Chinese, and two people from Kazakhstan have also been deported since August 15, with more deportations expected in the following days.
Images shared by the anticorruption agency show Asian individuals wearing surgical masks, lined up at airport check-in counters prior to their deportation.
These deportations form part of a wider effort that led to the arrest of 792 suspected cybercriminals during a single operation in the upscale Victoria Island area of Lagos in December, with at least 192 of those arrested being foreign nationals, including 148 from China, according to the EFCC.
Nigeria, known for its prevalence of internet fraudsters colloquially named “Yahoo Boys”, has seen the EFCC dismantle several hideouts where young individuals learn the skills required for online scamming.
The agency reports that foreign gangs often recruit Nigerian accomplices to target victims online through phishing scams, aiming to trick them into transferring money or giving away sensitive information like passwords.
The primary targets of these scams are individuals from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe, the EFCC states.
Experts highlight the increasing sophistication and adaptability of these fraudulent investment schemes, which leverage the latest technologies and digital tools, ultimately leaving victims with significant financial losses.
Moreover, experts caution that foreign “cybercrime syndicates” are capitalizing on Nigeria’s weak cybersecurity infrastructure to carry out these fraudulent activities.
