Identity theft has been unearthed by DAILY POST as the new technique employed by Advanced Fee Fraud practitioners, better known as 419ners, in defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians. In doing this, they practically pose as well-known persons in a position to aid people secure gainful employments, movie roles or even become a popular music star. Scammers involved in the sophistry were found to be currently plying this nefarious act, majorly on Facebook, fleecing unsuspecting Nigerians of their finances in the process.
Jeffery Ohonbamu (not real name) was lucky enough to get off their grip before the scammers were able to heavily defraud him of his scarce resources. His firsthand experience with the identity thieves cost him his N10, 800. Recounting his ordeal to DAILY POST, the unemployed graduate revealed that he encountered one of the fraudsters who presented himself as Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on the ‘People You May Know’ section of his Facebook page. Seeing that this Amaechi shares two mutual friends with him, he sent him a friend request which was accepted pronto.
According to the victim, “the 419ner posing as Governor Rotimi Amaechi claimed in his Facebook profile that he worked at ‘Governor of Rivers State’, studied at University of Port Harcourt’, lives in ‘Port Harcourt’, hails from ‘Ubima, Rivers, Nigeria’ and was born on ‘May 27,1965’.
“It also happened that this ’Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’ was always posting messages on his walls, disclosing how he has been helping people to get jobs in blue-chip companies operating in Rivers State. Some of the messages variously posted by the scammer on his wall exactly go thus: ‘Good morning my lovely people of Nigeria and Rivers, I am very sorry if i am not living to your expectations. For those I have helped online and given jobs to, please ensure to help others so we can all live happily and those that have told me and I have not helped or answered, please note that your case is not forgotten. I love you all and I will join you to make our country a better place’
Another post reads, ‘Good morning my people, I love you all. Those of you who got the chevron job on Thursday, please stop sending messages to thank me, instead thank God and help the needy like the orphanages. Help me make our country a better place…Thank you.
‘my beloved people, I just got a message like i normally get before from some of my lovely people that they acquired form and their job interview is tomorrow 2nd of march 2015,no need to worry because i have told them about you all and you have all been taken just like the others who were taken. Please remember your promises not to thank me but God and don’t forget to join me help others and make our country a better place; change is what we need and it is what we will get…I LOVE YOU ALL’.”
Ohonbamu continued that given the glaring grammatical flaws and other inadequacies noticeable in the posts purportedly written by Governor Amaechi, he was amazed that that none of those who commented on the posts gave vent to its obvious incompatibilities with posts expected of a senior government official. He however dismissed his reservation as he concluded that the Governor must have been trying to be hip in his language in line with nuance of social media communication.
DAILY POST was shown the comments by the other friends most of whom prayed and showered praises on who they must have thought was the Governor as these comments show: “Your Excellency, your goodness and absolute commitment to the upliftment of all Nigerians is well noted. Keep it up sir. With the likes of you we will eventually occupy our rightful place in the comity of nations”, “My Excellency goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life, you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever amen”.
Following the palpable lack of suspicion on the part of all those who interacted with the fake Governor on his ‘page’, our source, who is an unemployed graduate, was taken in when ‘Governor Amaechi’ requested all those desirous of becoming gainfully employed to ‘inbox’ him. He immediately sent him a mail. The following conversation then ensured which the victim permitted this newspaper to publish.
Ohonbamu had written in response to the fraud’s offer of assistance: “Your Excellency, I will really need the kind of job you are facilitating. I am Jeffery Ohonbamu with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial physics from FUT Minna. Thanks.”
After two hours, the swindler replied to the message thus: ‘ok, send me the name on you certificate, so I can forward your name. It (the job offer) is in the n.n.p.c’
‘My name is Jeffery Ohonbamu’, he posted
Fraudster: “ok, i will get back at you as soon as i get my number of people”
“God bless you for this, Your Excellency,” Ohonbamu retorted.
“amen. God bless you too. inbox me tomorrow by 9pm,” the fraudster replied.
‘Of course I will. Thanks again.’
By 9pm the next day, Ohonbamu wrote: ‘Hello Sir’
Fraudster replies: ‘how are you friend’
‘I am good and you?’
‘how may i help you’
‘You asked me to inbox you by 9pm about the NNPC job’
‘oh give me a moment’
After two minutes, ‘Governor Amaechi’ wrote: ‘I have spoken with the employment Manager. Here is his phone number: 08168126262.’
‘call him and tell him your full name, he has a list with him’
‘Okay, Thank you’
‘You can call him tomorrow, tell him Rivers governor sent you’
‘Alright Sir.’
By the next morning, Ohonbamu dialed the number with no one picking until he called by 11am. The call was picked by a man who introduced himself as Engr. Frank Olebor. While the call was on, Olebor was heard telling somebody to “please take away this file and put it where it is supposed to be,” “How many times will I tell you not to litter my table with files?” he asked.
The employment manager then apologized for the disruption, claiming he was only directing one of his office assistants on what to do. He was also quick to let the job seeker know that his earlier calls were not picked because the number is an office line which is only attended to between 10:30am to 4pm.
Suspecting a foul play at this point, Ohonbamu rather introduced himself as Abdulrahaman Buaji from Kwara State and explained that Governor Amaechi directed him to call. On hearing this, Engr. Olebor pleaded for a minute to check if his name was on the list submitted by the Governor. After checking, he awkwardly affirmed that ‘Abdulrahaman Buaji from Kwara State’ is on the list of those to be given the NNPC offshore job.
He then asked Mr. Buaji to report next day to the NNPC office in Port Harcourt where he can buy a mandatory form for N10, 800.00. He added that he should come along with his credentials as they would be collected immediately after he fills and submits the forms. It was at this point that Jeffery logged out of the entire deception. He was however charitable enough to return to the fake Ameachi’s Facebook wall where he warned gullible friends to beware of the impostor.
DAILY POST checks equally yielded a related episode between a certain Elizabeth Ojene and the popular Nollywood star, Ini Edo, still on Facebook. Like Ohonbamu, Elizabeth also saw her favourite female actor, Ini Edo, through Facebook’s ‘People You May Know’ portal but could not remember whether she shared any mutual friend with this Ini Edo. On the page where Ini Edo’s pictures with her profile reading that she worked at ‘nollywood’, studied at ‘University of Uyo’ and lives in ‘Lagos, Nigeria’.
She saw lots of messages on her wall of people who were thanking ‘Ini Edo’ for accepting them as her Facebook friend, hailing her for theatrical exploits. However, three days after becoming friends with the thespian, she supposedly posted a public message on her wall where she directed those who wanted to feature in her new movie to call a mobile number said to be that of her manager.
The 26-year old Elizabeth quickly called the number and was asked of her location. She disclosed that she stays in Benue State. After which, the ‘manager’ went on to reel out to her the modalities she had to meet before being given the opportunity to feature in the movie which would purportedly have some scenes shot abroad. She was told by the male voice at the other end of the phone conversation to immediately rush to Lagos with N13,000 as ‘form fee’ and another N10,000 to cater for her lodging at a hotel for the two days she would be screened.
According to her, “The ‘manager’, who identified himself as Eric, got me convinced when he said that if I successfully pass the auditioning, I would be paid N10,000 for every night I spend on set, a sum which will be different from the N50,000 I would receive for featuring in the movie. I was also told that I had before me a chance to share the same set with Ini Edo, who I love so much, if only I could be in Lagos with the required amount within the next two days. He however warned me not to inform anyone including my close relatives about the ‘opportunity’ as they are likely to discourage me from chasing my dream.”
Fortunately for Elizabeth, who is an undergraduate student of the Benue State University, her inability to independently raise the 23,000 amount and her transport fare to Lagos within the mandatory two days saved her from being swindled. She had to open up to her elder brother who was to give her the money why she needed the amount. On hearing her reason, “Mr. Uncle (as she calls his brother) wasted no time in making me realize that I was being conned.” Barely four days after her telephone conversation with Eric, she sought to access the page of the fake Ini Edo only to be greeted with a white page that has an inscription “no content available”.
Ms. Ojene went on to advice Nigerians who are addicted to Facebook to avoid seeking to add people suggested to them as people they may know. She also counseled those asked to come for any opportunity via the social media to ensure they discuss the veracity of the claim with any mature mind around them before they jump at the purported openings.
Some internet security experts have advised that it’s incumbent on public figures to frequently make public their authentic social media accounts and also deny publicly any false internet accounts that may bear their identity but is not operated by them. While these measures are being expected to be activated by all concerned, experts believe the best bet is for people to take whatever opportunities they find on the social media with a pinch of salt or better still discuss them with a more mature mind before subscribing to them.
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