EFCC Uncovers Facebook Fraudster Who Impersonates Okonja-Iweala & Other Prominent Nigerians
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it uncovered an alleged fraudster who used names of prominent Nigerians to defraud unsuspecting people.
A statement by the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said Anthony Ezechukwu opened facebook accounts using the names of Dame Fashola, Okonja- Iweala and other popular names to defraud Nigerians
Read statement published on Nigerian Tribune below:
"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered a sophisticated web of trickery involving a 34-year-old graduate of the Lagos State University, names witheld, who uses the names of spouses of prominent Nigerian political figures and others holding key offices to dupe unsuspecting members of the public.
“He allegedly cloned the Facebook accounts of the wife of Lagos State governor, Abimbola Fashola; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; wife of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Aisha Bala Muhammed and the Director of the Abuja Geographical Information Systems, Jamilah Tangaza. He went on a solicitation binge that fetched him thousands of naira.
“In each of the instances, he devised clever baits to lure his victims. Once he successfully opened a Facebook account with the false identity of a Mrs Fashola, first lady of Lagos State, he began to send out messages. Soon, requests for friendship flooded his account. He exploited the frenzy by the unwary Facebook crowd that wanted to be friends with a first lady, by directing some of them to meet with ‘her personal assistant’, who in turn demanded for various sums of money from them in order to connect them with influential people in government and the society.
“Also, in the Facebook account he opened using the name and photograph of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, he claimed he had job offers and directed interested job seekers to ‘her schedule officer’ (he also doubles as schedule officer) who in turn asked them to make payments into a designated bank account.
“His exploits would have gone unnoticed until he overreached himself by cloning the Facebook account of Jamilah Tangaza. With his address as www.facebook.com/agis.jamilahtangaza.9, he set about exploiting the office of the influential AGIS boss to have his cut of the lucrative apple that is Abuja property sector.
“His bait came in the form of a message: “In my certified, endorsed and approved capacity, as the Director General of Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), officially appointed by FCT Minister (Senator Bala Mohammed) and his administration on presidency acceptance and approvals (sic) to take control of all lands and houses sales (sic) in FCT Abuja. Then I warned, using this medium to advised (sic) the general public those who wish to buy land and houses in FCT Abuja to channel all there inquiries, consultation and payment to me....”
Ezechukwu was caught following a complaint by one Tangaza who paid the sum of N100, 000 into a designed account provided by Ezechukwu provided.
According to AllAfrica, Tangaza is currently assisting investigators probing the scam and will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded
A statement by the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said Anthony Ezechukwu opened facebook accounts using the names of Dame Fashola, Okonja- Iweala and other popular names to defraud Nigerians
Read statement published on Nigerian Tribune below:
"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered a sophisticated web of trickery involving a 34-year-old graduate of the Lagos State University, names witheld, who uses the names of spouses of prominent Nigerian political figures and others holding key offices to dupe unsuspecting members of the public.
“He allegedly cloned the Facebook accounts of the wife of Lagos State governor, Abimbola Fashola; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; wife of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Aisha Bala Muhammed and the Director of the Abuja Geographical Information Systems, Jamilah Tangaza. He went on a solicitation binge that fetched him thousands of naira.
“In each of the instances, he devised clever baits to lure his victims. Once he successfully opened a Facebook account with the false identity of a Mrs Fashola, first lady of Lagos State, he began to send out messages. Soon, requests for friendship flooded his account. He exploited the frenzy by the unwary Facebook crowd that wanted to be friends with a first lady, by directing some of them to meet with ‘her personal assistant’, who in turn demanded for various sums of money from them in order to connect them with influential people in government and the society.
“Also, in the Facebook account he opened using the name and photograph of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, he claimed he had job offers and directed interested job seekers to ‘her schedule officer’ (he also doubles as schedule officer) who in turn asked them to make payments into a designated bank account.
“His exploits would have gone unnoticed until he overreached himself by cloning the Facebook account of Jamilah Tangaza. With his address as www.facebook.com/agis.jamilahtangaza.9, he set about exploiting the office of the influential AGIS boss to have his cut of the lucrative apple that is Abuja property sector.
“His bait came in the form of a message: “In my certified, endorsed and approved capacity, as the Director General of Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), officially appointed by FCT Minister (Senator Bala Mohammed) and his administration on presidency acceptance and approvals (sic) to take control of all lands and houses sales (sic) in FCT Abuja. Then I warned, using this medium to advised (sic) the general public those who wish to buy land and houses in FCT Abuja to channel all there inquiries, consultation and payment to me....”
Ezechukwu was caught following a complaint by one Tangaza who paid the sum of N100, 000 into a designed account provided by Ezechukwu provided.
According to AllAfrica, Tangaza is currently assisting investigators probing the scam and will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded
EFCC Uncovers Facebook Fraudster Who Impersonates Okonja-Iweala & Other Prominent Nigerians
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