Latest news with #DeleOyewale
Filipino Times
3 days ago
- Filipino Times
15 foreign nationals, including 11 Filipinos, jailed in Nigeria for cybercrime
A Nigerian court has sentenced 15 foreign nationals—all of Asian origin—to one year in prison and fined them one million naira (approximately $630) each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, according to the country's anti-corruption agency. The convicted group includes 11 Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian, and one Indonesian. They pleaded guilty before the court in Lagos and were accused of recruiting young Nigerians to commit identity theft and pose as foreigners online, said Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court also ordered the forfeiture of devices seized from the offenders to the Nigerian federal government. Nigeria has long battled a reputation for online scams perpetrated by so-called 'Yahoo Boys.' But recent developments point to a growing presence of international cybercrime syndicates taking advantage of the country's weak digital security infrastructure. According to the EFCC, these foreign-led networks enlist Nigerian accomplices to run phishing scams targeting victims—mostly in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe—seeking to steal money or sensitive personal data. In a major operation last December, the EFCC arrested 792 suspects in Lagos's Victoria Island, including 192 foreign nationals—148 of whom were Chinese. Several of these individuals are currently on trial for related offenses.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Nigeria jails a Malaysian, an Indonesian, two Chinese and 11 Filipinos for internet scams
LAGOS: A Nigerian court jailed 15 foreign nationals Friday (May 30) — including a Malaysian — for 'cyber-terrorism and internet fraud,' the national anti-graft agency said, one of the largest such cases in the country. Eleven Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian and one Indonesian were sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of one million naira (about US$630) each in the commercial capital, Lagos, after pleading guilty, said Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesman Dele Oyewale. They were accused of recruiting young Nigerians for 'identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality.' 'The judges also ordered that the devices recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria,' Oyewale said. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is saddled with a reputation for internet fraudsters known in local slang as 'Yahoo Boys.' The EFCC has busted several hideouts where young criminals learn their scams. Cybercrime experts also warn that foreign 'cybercrime syndicates' have set up shop in the country to exploit its weak cybersecurity systems. The EFCC said foreign gangs recruited Nigerian accomplices to find victims online through phishing scams, in which attackers typically try to deceive victims into transferring them money or revealing sensitive information such as passwords. The scams target mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans and Europeans, the agency said. In December, the EFCC arrested 792 suspects in a single operation in the affluent Victoria Island area of Lagos. At least 192 of the suspects were foreign nationals — 148 of them Chinese, the agency said. Dozens of other Chinese suspects are also standing trial for similar crimes. - AFP
GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
11 Filipinos, 4 others jailed in Nigeria for internet scams
LAGOS, Nigeria — A Nigerian court jailed 15 foreign nationals Friday—all Asians—for "cyber-terrorism and internet fraud," the national anti-graft agency said, one of the largest such cases in the country. Eleven Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian and one Indonesian were sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of one million naira (about $630) each in the commercial capital, Lagos, after pleading guilty, said Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesman Dele Oyewale. They were accused of recruiting young Nigerians for "identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality." "The judges also ordered that the devices recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria," Oyewale said. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is saddled with a reputation for internet fraudsters known in local slang as "Yahoo Boys." The EFCC has busted several hideouts where young criminals learn their scams. Cybercrime experts also warn that foreign "cybercrime syndicates" have set up shop in the country to exploit its weak cybersecurity systems. The EFCC said foreign gangs recruited Nigerian accomplices to find victims online through phishing scams, in which attackers typically try to deceive victims into transferring them money or revealing sensitive information such as passwords. The scams target mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans and Europeans, the agency said. In December, the EFCC arrested 792 suspects in a single operation in the affluent Victoria Island area of Lagos. At least 192 of the suspects were foreign nationals—148 of them Chinese, the agency said. Dozens of other Chinese suspects are also standing trial for similar crimes. — Agence France Presse
BBC News
16-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
EFCC collaborate wit Interpol, FBI on investigation ova CBEX Ponzi scheme
Afta several Nigerians don para say dem lose money ontop digital asset trading platform, CBEX, di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) don begin step to investigate di Ponzi scheme. Di anti-graft agency tell BBC News Pidgin say dem dey collaborate wit di International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and di Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and odas to find dose wey dey behind di CBEX platform and how dem fit recover some money. Dis na afta dose wey invest ontop di platform say dem bin no fit withdraw dia money for some days as withdrawal dey suspended, and suddenly, di platform crash wit many pipo losing dia money. Tori be say na ova 1.3 trillion naira CBEX sweep comot from investors accounts. Plenti pipo bin fall for di Ponzi scheme sake of say di CBEX investment bin promise 100 percent return on investment for investors in one month. Wetin dem tink say go put smiles for dia faces na tears e put and di platform don run away wit pipo money. Di head of media and publicity for EFCC Dele Oyewale tok say no be di first time be dis say dem don dey work on investigation of di platform bifor e finally crash. "We dey work wit Interpol, FBI and oda international agencies sake of di jurisdiction. We dey work wit dem to be able to uncova di entire fraudulent act and see how we fit remedy di situation." "Atleast, to see how we fit recova some of di money we pipo lose. As anti-corruption agency, we no fit keep quiet. "We dey work bifor di platform collapse and we go kontinue to dey work." CBEX na digital trading asset platform wey dey give investors 100% return on investment in 30 days, but di no be di first time wey Nigerians go dey fall into scam of di kain pattern. Different investment ponzi schemes don enta Nigeria wia pipo bin go put dia money and at di end, na tears, sorrow and pain end am as di platform crash and carry dia money go. Despite say di Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) bin warn Nigerians against unregistered trading platforms, some still dey fall into di trap. Why Nigerians keep falling for Ponzi schemes despite MMM and odas crash Di amount of Ponzi schemes for Nigeria now don turn anoda tin, e be like if pesin turn head like dis, anoda tin don suck millions from di pockets of kontri pipo. E dey worri plenti pipo say ontop di numbers of ponzi schemes wey don scam Nigerians, di pipo neva learn. Howeva, some sabi pipo dey link am to di economic situation of Nigeria and say Nigerians dey find beta options to make money. Rememba for 2016 say Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox aka MMM come wit promise of huge return if pipo put dia money into am. For di small years wey MMM use for Nigeria bifor e crash, di Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum record say kontri pipo lose about 12bn naira ($7million). Di latest na CBEX, and pipo still no learn. We ask sabi pipo why Nigerians still dey fall for ponzi schemes. Caleb Ijioma, wey be di executive director of Roundcheck wey dey chook mouth into fact-checking and literacy inclduing financial literacy, e tok say as dis no be di first time wey pipo go fall into ponzi schemes, na di benefits dey totori dem. "Nigerians keep falling for dis Ponzi schemes becos of di benefits wey dem dey offer within a short period." "You invest and get double of dat investment in a short time, dis na wetin make dis schemes dey attractive." E add say dis 'Ponzi schemes dey use pipo weaknesses and greed to force dem to invest dia money wit hope say dem go gain financial freedom.' According to dis sabi pipo, dose wey first enta di scheme dey kollect money na im dey promote di scheme to odas. "Legitimate investment platforms no dey offer di same benefits as dis Ponzi schemes, and dis na why more Nigerians, regardless of past lessons dey fall for fake investment platforms."
