It was learnt that the suspects used fake names on dating sites to prey on their targets including widowed and divorced. Founded by Nigerian-American professionals on February 17, 2023 in Los Angeles and Seattle, the group allows patriots abroad to work for Nigeria's development. They were among the 35 persons arrested for fraud by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who allegedly carried out scams worth $17 million. Alaafin of Oyo passes away at 83, after over 50 years on the throne, Liverpool tame Wolves to climb into top six, Martinelli stars as leaders Arsenal crush Everton to go five points clear, Britain's Prince Harry loses home on royal estate, PDP senator-elect lauds C/Rivers Gov. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has nabbed Nigerian medical doctor, Patrick Nwaokwu, for his alleged involvement in multimillion-dollar healthcare fraud. All he had to do was make a list of real people and then search through available databases of hacked information for their Social Security numbers and birthdates. David Animashaun, 38 arrested in DFW, charged with wire fraud conspiracy. Perhaps the best-known Nigerian BEC fraudster is Ramon Hushpuppi Abbas, who found fame as an Instagram influencer, but was charged with conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from BEC frauds and other scams. Required fields are marked *. These numbers are in keeping with the notion that Internet penetration, mobile phone usage, and agency banking activities are all increasing. and then siphoned money from victims accounts, tens of thousands of dollars at a time. Online scamming: 'If it doesn't look right, don't trust it'. Police have so far arrested 14 suspects across the US, 11 in Los Angeles alone. Since November, over 700 girls have been poisoned by poisonous gas in Iran, in what many believe is a premeditated attempt to compel their schools to close. Despite this impressive growth, social media is also a hotbed for fraud and scams. Engaging in an online romance scam might result in criminal charges being brought against you in court. They assumed fake names and trolled dating sites like Match.com, ChistianMingle, JSwipe, and PlentyofFish, searching for targets. The defendants use alias names and trolled dating sites like Match.com, ChistianMingle, JSwipe, and PlentyofFish, to prey on vulnerable targets like widowed or divorced. Almost 100,000 people reported about $770 million in losses to fraud . Interestingly, people ranged 21 30 were the second most defrauded at 31%. Tax fraud. If convicted, the defendants face up 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud conspiracy counts and up to 10 years in federal prison on the money laundering conspiracy counts. Furthermore, the Black Axe arrests in the US represent the second crackdown against an international crime syndicates cybercrime operations. Kingsley Ita, aka Baron Sifk, 42, of Dallas; Irabor Fatarr Musa, aka Fatai Head JJ, 51, of Richardson; Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, aka General, 46, of Allen; Edgal Iribhogbe, aka Oseme, 50, of Allen; Damilola Kumapayi, aka Luke Morris, 33, of Dallas; Ehiedu Onyeagwu, aka Young, 58, of Rosedale, Maryland; Mathew Okpu, 57, of Temple Hille, Maryland; Benedicta Atakare, 46, of Temple Hills, Maryland; Chidindu Okeke, aka Steve, 28, of Richmond; Nosoregbe Asemota, aka Patrick Asemota, 46, of Melissa; Jequita Batchelor, 37, of Farmers Branch; Osaretin Eghaghe, aka Biggie, 37, of Plano; Isaac Asare, aka Asarko, 48, of Houston; Henrietha Oziegbe, 23, of Lexington, Kentucky; and. Action Fraud . Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime. "The public should be on guard against schemes like these.". Another suspect was part of an organization called The Money Team (or TMT), which has ostensibly legitimate businesses, including one that makes professional cakes and another that claims to be one of Nigerias biggest travel and tour providers. Sometimes victims were allegedly convinced to open financial accounts in the United States that the conspirators would then be permitted to use themselves to launder money. scam scheme that cost a Lexington woman approximately. Please report your suspicions or incidents to Action Fraud, either on the Action Fraud website or (only if you are in the UK) by phoning 0300 123 2040. They made fraudulent wire transfers to the value of nearly $11m, and moved the funds overseas. With so many people being defrauded, the NIBSS identified social engineering, no 2-factor authentication, PIN compromise, internal collusion, card/phone theft, fake assistance, and several others as the major methods for fraudulent activities in 2020. Before becoming unwell, the poisoned females described smelling tangerine or rotting fish. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a woman of Nigerian descent, Amanda Azubuike, has become a Brigadier General of the United States Army. They were accused of grossly conducting romance schemes to defraud and steal from unsuspecting older American adults. The only mistake these victims make is being generous to the wrong people., Once they depleted the savings they vanished into thin air. ( source: Spend Journal) Card fraud over the next decade is expected to cost the industry a collective $408.50 billion in global losses. At the moment, Finlands borders are mostly protected by modest timber fences. Facebook Twitter The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has arrested 11 alleged members of a prolific cybercrime network as part of a national police operation coordinated with INTERPOL. From around 2015 to 2019, he was part of a group which engaged in a conspiracy to conduct various computer-based frauds, including creating fake websites, the US Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement after he was sentenced. VideoWatch: Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. The customer leaves with 20k cash but the agent only gets 10k and would be none the wiser if the receipt is not checked. Nigeria and India have agreed to exchange vital intelligence on the activities of drug trafficking syndicates operating vulnerable drug routes between both countries, while the latter will also strengthen the capacity of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), officers with training. The arrests also represent the second law enforcement crackdown against the groups cybercrime operations this year, after Italian police alsoarrested 30 Black Axe members in April. Hushpuppi, whose real name is Ramon Abbas, was. A Nigerian man suspected in Washington state's $650 million unemployment fraud was arrested Friday at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport by federal agents as he allegedly . Finland has moved to fortify its eastern border since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Crimes like these are especially despicable because they rely not only on victims lack of internet savvy, but also, their isolation, their loneliness, and sometimes their grief. 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks trip of lifetime for TikToker, Anorexia: 'I made the podcast I wish I'd listened to', Arena bombing family 'let down at every level', An undercover investigation on tea producing plantations find shocking conditions. All of the defendants named are innocent until proven guilty. Many of these fraudsters - dubbed "yahoo-boys . Instead, this operation focused predominantly on the technical backbone of BEC operations by targeting the actors who possess the skills and knowledge to build and deploy the malware and domain infrastructure used in these schemes, the company post read. The nurses were subsequently employed at various healthcare facilities in Maryland. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Get the latest updates on BBC Africa Live, All the 80 defendants have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and aggravated identity theft, She made 35 to 40 payments, receiving as many as 10 to 15 emails a day directing her to send money to accounts in the US, Turkey and the United Kingdom through the captain's many purported associates, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Dozens of girls treated after new Iran poisonings, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Havana Syndrome unlikely to have hostile cause - US. BACKGROUND. Gbadegesin was said to have been involved in a romance. (1) Consumers can report multiple types of identity theft. Many of the alleged victims are believed to be widows and divorcees, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. At least 194 girls are said to have been poisoned in the last week at four schools in the western province of Lorestans Borujerd. Judy Middleton, 70, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, is accused by federal prosecutors. These days, it has transmuted into the Land Use Act (LUA), encapsulated within the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. By 2019, Nigerian BEC fraudsters had produced more than 81,300 kinds of malware linked to 2.1 million attacks. ( source: Nilson Report) Indeed companies like Voyance launched Sigma, and Cadnetworks launched the Blacklist to help tackle fraud in the fintech space, but that innovation barely stops social engineering. 1 in 10 profiles on free dating sites is a scam. We know where and whom to target next.. In 2020, two separate FBI undercover operations obtained the fraudulent degrees and approximately 175 of Nwaokwus nursing graduates have applied to the Maryland Board of Nursing. According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria gained at least 2.5 million Internet subscribers during the lockdown of April 2020. If convicted, the defendants face up 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud conspiracy counts and up to 10 years in federal prison on the money laundering conspiracy counts. These scam statistics are based on consumer reports. worked with North Korean hackers to launder funds stolen from a Maltese bank, pled guilty to money laundering in mid-2021. Nigerians Charged in the Northern District of Texas ; All of the defendants named are innocent until proven guilty. Approximately 33% of the victims were aged between 20 and 29, and 13% were aged between 70 and 79. Using photos, text, and video dynamically, the site informs and prompts concerned African citizens and activists globally to act, denouncing officially-sanctioned corruption, the material impoverishment of its citizenry, defilement of the environment, and the callous disregard of the democratic principles enshrined in the constitution. Millennials account for around 35% of fraud cases in the US. The consumer body Which? Two Nigerian nationals, identified as Valentine Iro and Chukwudi Christogunus Igbokwe, who are part of those arrested in the US, have been named as co-conspirators working with others in the US and in Nigeria, to obtain money from victims and then transfer it abroad. Credit applications. According to the financial consortium, criminals will always use disruption to cause disruption. The suspects face 20 years in jail if convicted. As presented by various financial institutions, the report captures major talking points around fraud volume, fraud techniques, fraud sources, and affected demographics among others. Feb. 28, 2023), INEC State Official In Rivers Alleges Threat To Life, The First Thing I Will Do As President-elect -Peter Obi, How Power-drunk Yahaya Bello Excavated Highway To Restrict INEC Officials, How To Unclog Your Arteries & Prevent A Heart Attack, EXPLAINER: How You Can Monitor Live Election Results. It is alleged they preyed on their victims through dating sites using false identities. 6. Najarian estimated that half are unwitting partners of puppeteers in Nigeria, South Africa or the United States. (2) Includes online shopping and payment account fraud, email and social media fraud, and medical services, insurance and securities . On Tuesday, 37 more pupils were poisoned at the Khayyam Girls School in Pardis, near Tehran. His companies used phishing emails to steal funds from victims. Using photos, text, and video dynamically, the site informs and prompts concerned African citizens and activists globally to act, denouncing officially-sanctioned corruption, the material impoverishment of its citizenry, defilement of the environment, and the callous disregard of the democratic principles enshrined in the constitution. The NIBSS expects this trend to continue as more people come online and become more dependent on electronic transactions for their day-to-day activities. According to the Border Guard, it will be 3m (10ft) tall with barbed wire on top. As the victims open their hearts, the perpetrators open their wallets, Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah said at a press conference announcing the charges. The duo, accused of conspiring with many others to defraud the U.S. government by stealing identities to fraudulently claim unemployment benefits,. "We ask those accused in Nigeria to voluntarily turn themselves in to American authorities to clear their names, without which the Nigerian government should extradite them if relevant international treaties between the two governments are invoked.". Nwaokwu was arrested on July 9, barely 24 hours after the United States issued a warrant of arrest on July 8. 7.2. Le Graet took over in 2011, and the mens national team won the 2018 World Cup after placing second in Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. Catalin Cimpanu September 28, 2021 US arrests 33 BEC scammers linked to Nigerian crime syndicate Cybercrime News 33 suspects were arrested in the US for BEC and romance scam-related crimes. READ ALSO: BBNaija Season 6: Check Out Latest News For Day 63, And Week Recap. Internet-based scams like the ones described in the indictment cost victims $600 million in 2020, according to the FBI. If convicted, the defendants face up 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud conspiracy counts and up to 10 years in federal prison on the money laundering conspiracy counts. In 2018 internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation were responsible for a massive $2.7 billion in financial losses. According to NBC, officials with the U.S. Attorney's Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas and the FBI . Then, of course, again, the large amounts attracted international organized crime or freelancers anywhere from Russia, China, Nigeria, the usual suspect hotspots of just fraud criminality in general. US authorities accused Okeke of using "subterfuge and impersonation" to lure his victims, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Privacy Policy. found that in the. The existing wooden barriers are mostly used to keep cattle from crossing the border. Some FFF members have stated that Le Graet would continue to work for international governing organization FIFA. . 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