Fraud Unit (PSFU) has arrested six internet fraudsters, who
specialized in designing organisation’s websites and using same to defraud
unsuspecting members of the society. This was revealed in a state signed by, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Isintume-Agu, Police
Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos. According to the statement, in the website, applicants were required to pay
N2,500.00 as an application fee and over 2,000 applicants responded and paid
the fees through the First Bank Account Number 2020874607 and Access Bank
Account Number 0056941009 with the name OFID WSAS NG. The petitioner stated further that it was one
of the victims that contacted OFID via facebook, accusing OFID of being
complicit in the fraud. The Cybercrime Section of the Unit swung into action
and the mastermind of the fraud, one Falade Oluwapelumi Ayotunde was
arrested.
His arrest led to the arrest of five other syndicate
members. Police investigation so far
revealed that over 2,000 applicants paid the sum of N2,500.00 each into the two
banks provided by the suspects and the principal suspect is the only signatory
to both accounts.
[1] FALADE
OLUWAPELUMI AYOTUNDE - A 25years old from Akure, Ondo State and
500Level Estate Management student of
Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). The suspect made a confessional statement,
that he designed the website of OFID WSAS (OPEC Fund for International
Development for World Student Aid Scholarship) in June, 2012. That the idea came from one Fajobi Olalekan
and Bolatiri Opemipo. He also admitted that he opened an account in both First
Bank and Access Bank with the name OFID WSAS NG for applicants to pay in their
application fee which many responded to. He further stated that he and his cohorts
printed a postal for OFIDWAS which was on the website.
[2] ASAOLU VICTOR –
25years old from Ilesha in Osun State and a graduate of Mining Engineering from
Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
A job seeker, He confessed that he assisted to paste the posters on line
and he was given N80,000.00 initially and later another N40,000.00 totaling
N120,000.00 for the job.
[3] AWOTE TEMITOPE EMMANUEL – 27years old. A 500Level Estate
Management student of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). He confessed that he assisted the principal
suspect to sign guarantor for the accounts he opened in First Bank and Access
Bank for the OFID program and was paid
N70,000.00 which he had spent for his personal effects. He stated that he participated in pasting and
publicizing the fake OFID Scholarship Program.
He also stated that he knew from the onset that the OFID Scholarship
Program is a scam aimed at defrauding
innocent scholarship applicant but that he still went on to deceive the bank
that his friend is honest and the program genuine.
[4] FAJOBI OLALEKAN is 27years old from Lagos State and a
Mechanical Engineering graduate of Federal University of Technology, Akure
(FUTA) with a first class honour and the best graduating student in his
department for the year 2012. He is currently working with Dee Xecutor
Concept. He stated that while in school,
he lived in the same Lodge with the 1st suspect and his mates/friends always
come to him for educational assistance because of his intelligence. That he once fell victim for scholarship
known as EDIADS, which made the 1st suspect to approach him and got some information
regarding that one, which he believed gave him an idea on how to design OFID
Scholarship Website. He further stated that he lent the 1st suspect the sum
N12,000.00 for hosting the Website. He later gave him N20,000.00 in return and
informed him that the fraud was successful.
[5] BOLATIRI EMMANUEL
ONAOPEMIPO is 25years old from Oyo State.
A graduate of FUTA. He is
currently a Handset Dealer. He
corroborated Fajobi Olalekan’s statement that they applied for scholarship
while in school which turned out to be fake and they shared their experiences
with the 1st suspect which gave him an idea on how to design his own fake
Website with OFID name/logo. He also
stated that he lent him the sum of N8,000.00 and was later paid N12,000.00 with
interest.
[6] ADEBOMI
OLUWATOSIN – 26years old and a graduate of FUTA. He is currently working with
Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro as a Programmer II. According to him, he offered professional
advice to the 1st suspect and lent him the sum of N10,000.00 and was later
given N100,000.00 as his own share. He
confessed that he knew from the onset
that it was fraud aimed at defrauding innocent applicants, since there was no
authority from OFID. Investigation is on-going.
Suspects will be charged to court soonest. The Commissioner of Police,
Police Special Fraud Unit, CP Umar F. Idris advises the general public to
verify the genuineness of any on-line advert before parting with their
money. He also uses this medium to
invite the affected victims to Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) No. 13,
Milverton Road, Ikoyi – Lagos in furtherance of the investigation.
4 Comments
Choi!!
ReplyDeleteServes them right
ReplyDeleteWhat will naija guys not do?
ReplyDeleteNice job from police
ReplyDelete