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The Nigeria Police Force has busted an international cyber scam centre operating from Agbor, Delta State, and arrested seven members of the syndicate.
The suspects were identified as Collins Ogwuorie, Christian Ogwuorie, Gbenoba Emmanuel, Samuel Olufemi, Collins Victor, Onyeka Emenem and Kefas Ogunbor.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed that the group was involved in large-scale online investment fraud targeting victims in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and other nations.
He said the suspects were nabbed by the Police National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCC) in collaboration with the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), with intelligence support from Meta.
He said the suspects’ modus operandi involved using fake social media profiles to impersonate reputable cryptocurrency traders and lure unsuspecting victims.
According to him, the syndicate also recruited and trained young people in online investment fraud and phishing attacks, targeting mainly UK-based victims and residents.
The police said preliminary findings indicated that the fraud network was led by Collins Ogwuorie, who allegedly procured about 500 social media accounts from online vendors and distributed them among members of the syndicate for coordinated spamming, impersonation and victim engagement.
Each suspect was assigned specific roles, including account management and online interaction.
According to the police, the group also operated a fake Facebook page titled “Retirement Strategies: Real Estate and Market Insights,” where fabricated testimonials were posted to entice victims into making fraudulent investments.
Items recovered from the suspects during the raid included 26 mobile phones, 42 SIM cards and one laptop, all believed to have been used in perpetrating the crimes.
The police said investigations are ongoing, while members of the public have been advised to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of online investment platforms.
