Suspected Internet fraudsters, popularly called Yahoo boys, have turned the Facebook page of the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police Force into an avenue to advertise their skills.
The suspects, through a series of
comments, demanded between N5,000 and N50,000 from those who wanted to
learn classified sites for defrauding people, especially foreigners, and
offered options of online, as well as physical teaching platforms.
comments, demanded between N5,000 and N50,000 from those who wanted to
learn classified sites for defrauding people, especially foreigners, and
offered options of online, as well as physical teaching platforms.
Hundreds of persons, including students,
graduates and ladies, indicated interest in learning the skills for
making quick money and provided their mobile numbers on the SFU Facebook page.
graduates and ladies, indicated interest in learning the skills for
making quick money and provided their mobile numbers on the SFU Facebook page.
The comments were reactions to a post by the SFU sensitising the public to Internet fraud.
The unit in the post tagged, ‘Common Tricks Yahoo boys use to Swindle Foreigners Revealed,’ had warned people against falling victims of the fraudsters.
The post read in part, “One of the
tricks they use in swindling foreigners is called ‘Freestyle.’ The
Freestyle trick is the simplest and it is common among starters.
Applying Freestyle trick, all you need to do is to open an account in
any of the popular dating sites and look for someone to fall in love
with you; afterwards, he or she starts paying your bills, sending hard
currency.
tricks they use in swindling foreigners is called ‘Freestyle.’ The
Freestyle trick is the simplest and it is common among starters.
Applying Freestyle trick, all you need to do is to open an account in
any of the popular dating sites and look for someone to fall in love
with you; afterwards, he or she starts paying your bills, sending hard
currency.
“Also, one of the major tricks, Yahoo and Sakawa boys are using to perpetuate this act is ‘Over Payment.’ The Over Payment trick requires a lot of processes. The Yahoo boy
who uses this trick pretends to be a prospective buyer by logging into
any of the popular Internet classified sites, after which he offers the
person who he is buying from, a cheque as a mode of payment.
who uses this trick pretends to be a prospective buyer by logging into
any of the popular Internet classified sites, after which he offers the
person who he is buying from, a cheque as a mode of payment.
“In this case, Yahoo boys have a way of persuading the seller to send the excess after issuing an over payment cheque. With this trick, a Yahoo boy can buy goods worth $1,000 and issue a cheque of $5,000. What the Yahoo boy
is interested in is not the goods he claimed to be interested in, but
the excess money that will be sent to him after the cheque must have
been cashed.”
is interested in is not the goods he claimed to be interested in, but
the excess money that will be sent to him after the cheque must have
been cashed.”
The update concluded with a slogan ‘Say
No to Fraud;’ but what trailed the slogan was brazen defiance to the
police warning, with commentators boasting of their mettle in various
Internet scam sites.
No to Fraud;’ but what trailed the slogan was brazen defiance to the
police warning, with commentators boasting of their mettle in various
Internet scam sites.
The comments had reached over 1,762 with 158 shares as of 8.17pm on Tuesday.
In one of his comments, one Thomas Joshua, wrote, “If you are interested in G (Yahoo yahoo), message me ASAP
(as soon as possible) via +2349021933459. Tutor fee is 5k (N5,000). I
will teach you how to make cool money in a week and if you have interest
in hacking, wire transfer, ATM card hacking etc., message me ASAP.”
(as soon as possible) via +2349021933459. Tutor fee is 5k (N5,000). I
will teach you how to make cool money in a week and if you have interest
in hacking, wire transfer, ATM card hacking etc., message me ASAP.”
One Kingxam Millionz stated that he ran
tutorials on classified sites such as Dating, Spamming, Next of kin,
Letgo and Grant, among others, with a fee ranging from N5,000 to
N15,000.
tutorials on classified sites such as Dating, Spamming, Next of kin,
Letgo and Grant, among others, with a fee ranging from N5,000 to
N15,000.
Another poster, Stev Emmanuel, gave out
his email address and phone number, 07064229454, to intending members,
saying “Hello dear friends, for those that want to be Yahoo boys, here comes your opportunity.”
his email address and phone number, 07064229454, to intending members,
saying “Hello dear friends, for those that want to be Yahoo boys, here comes your opportunity.”
One Desmanking Destiny, who replied Emmanuel on the SFU platform, said he was “100 per cent serious” to learn the skill.
A graduate, Ajisafe Adekunle Olowolayemo, said he was jobless and was desperate to go into cybercrime.
He wrote, “Please, I’m a graduate of
Marine Engineering… I have been jobless for good four years. I sought
jobs in so many shipping companies, but to no avail. Please, I need a
boss who will teach me the rudiments and basis of Yahoo yahoo.”
Marine Engineering… I have been jobless for good four years. I sought
jobs in so many shipping companies, but to no avail. Please, I need a
boss who will teach me the rudiments and basis of Yahoo yahoo.”
A poster with an alias, Kvng Segzkid,
said, “I am a graduate of Science Laboratory Technology. Since 2015, I
have yet to get a job. I have no choice but to venture into gee (Internet fraud). I need a boss and promise to be loyal and honest with him.”
said, “I am a graduate of Science Laboratory Technology. Since 2015, I
have yet to get a job. I have no choice but to venture into gee (Internet fraud). I need a boss and promise to be loyal and honest with him.”
One Sanni Rasheed cautioned the posters
on the criminal chats, saying “This act will be prosecuted under the law
of the country.”
on the criminal chats, saying “This act will be prosecuted under the law
of the country.”
But one Hon Stainless Cash, dared the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other security agencies to come after him.
He said, “To all the EFCC and SARS on
this page, if you intend to trace me, please do trace me or track me if
you can find me and I will highly welcome you. Please, make sure you
track me; for your service is highly needed.”
this page, if you intend to trace me, please do trace me or track me if
you can find me and I will highly welcome you. Please, make sure you
track me; for your service is highly needed.”
Ladies also joined in the discussion and expressed willingness to engage in Internet fraud.
A commentator, Ugo Osinachi, wrote, “I want to be a gee guy. I need help from any boss please. Here is my number 09060655750; I am on WhatsApp and Facebook. Please bosses, help me out, I am serious about this.”
Titilayo Adetoba also said, “I want to become gee guy; any help should contact me, 09068646625. I am curious.”
The SFU spokesperson, ASP Lawal Audu, said the unit was aware of the comments on its Facebook page, adding that a manhunt had been launched for the posters.
He said, “We are tracking them, but we
don’t want to speak about it publicly. We are making efforts. Scientific
investigation is not something you do anyhow; otherwise, you won’t get
at your targets.”
don’t want to speak about it publicly. We are making efforts. Scientific
investigation is not something you do anyhow; otherwise, you won’t get
at your targets.”