PUNCH
UTHMAN SALAMI explores how scammers now use the cyberspace as a safe haven, preying on gullible and honest business owners, prospective students, and anybody else who sees it as a practical place, to carry out their operations
Racked with self-blame and the realisation that his lack of due diligence had cost him a staggering N18m in an international scam, Obumneme Maximus, a Lagos-based businessman, kept wondering how many other Nigerians had fallen for the same hoax while hoping that other entrepreneurs would avoid the trap he had fallen into.
Maximus told our correspondent, in a tone tinged with sorrow and self-loathing, about the first time he had let his guard down since launching his private business. When he lost more than $12,740 to an online business named Old Merchants, a phoney auto dealership that purported to be based at 18805 Bayshore Road Villas, New Jersey, USA, he was shocked and shocked.
According to The Guardian Unite Kingdom, amid fights for resources against other criminal objectives, like protecting children and bolstering what is often viewed as inadequate protection of women; international fraud and cybercrime are seen as difficult crimes for law enforcement to solve.
Over 1,000 Nigerians have been duped by schemes offering fictitious international work prospects in the United Kingdom, according to a December 18, 2023, according to a report by The PUNCH that cited the United Nations Migration Agency, the International Organisation for Migration.
The IOM’s Chief of Mission, Laurent De Boeck, made the startling revelation during a press interaction with journalists in Abuja in December 2023.
Boeck emphasised that some victims were left stuck in the UK after losing up to $10,000 apiece in their desperate attempts to land work abroad. Some are too embarrassed to face their families, while others do not have the funds to return home.
He said, “There are some of them who lost over $10,000 only to be given fake employment letters, which allowed them to get visas. They get there, present the letters, and the organisations tell them that the letters did not emanate from the organisations. Over a thousand people are affected.”
These were just a few of the devastating and harrowing experiences Nigerians have faced due to fraud and scams conducted in the international space. Unfortunately, more Nigerians continue to fall victim to organized crime abroad, as these criminals target innocent individuals seeking to conduct business online.
Lagos businessman loses $12,740
In Maximus’s case, he was drawn into the transaction by the lower prices of the vehicles listed on the company’s website, which were far more competitive than any he could find elsewhere. Their business discussions began in October 2023, with Maximus initiating contact after seeing the cars advertised on their site.
He said, “They are selling cars to Ghana and Nigeria online. They have a website they use to defraud people. If you check, the website is very genuine. You won’t even suspect a dime. I saw some cars that I like on their website.
“There are about four vehicles. Their prices are also low. I paid for the vehicles, and they gave me a shipping date. The shipping date arrived after making all the necessary payments. I didn’t know they were professional scammers.
“They are always online. I paid $12,740 for the four cars, including the shipping fee. My transaction with them started in October 2023 and ended in February 2024. Once they give you the shipping date, that will be the end of the business.
