The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested about 792 persons suspected to be involved in cryptocurrency investment and romance scams in Lagos.
A statement issued by the anti-money laundering agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said the accused persons are from Nigeria, China, and others.
Mr Uwujaren noted the arrest was made at their hideout on No 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, after months of surveillance.
He said the foreign kingpins recruited their Nigerian accomplices to prospect for victims online through phishing, targeting mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and several others from European countries.
“They usually arm them with desktop computers and mobile devices and create fake profiles for them.
“The Nigerian accomplices are equally provided with logs that allow them access to foreign communication lines and victims, which they chat with on WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram.
“They are also assigned WhatsApp accounts linked to foreign telephone numbers, especially from Germany and Italy.
“Their jobs are to engage victims in romantic conversations and phantom business and investment discussions to trick them to shop on the purported online investment shopping platform called www.yooto.com. For those who show interest, activation fees for an account on the platform start from $35,” the EFCC spokesman informed journalists at a news conference on Monday.
Mr Uwujaren added the suspects are being held in custody with valid remand warrant, adding that they will be arraigned soon.
This arrest comes weeks after the International Police (Interpol), in collaboration with other security agencies, nabbed 1,006 cybercrime suspects in Nigeria and other countries, including Kenya and Algeria, among others.