The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered and dismantled an international cyber scam centre operating in Agbor, Delta State, arresting seven suspects allegedly involved in large-scale online investment fraud targeting victims in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and other countries.

The Force Headquarters disclosed on Thursday that the operation was carried out by the Police National Cybercrime Center, NPF-NCC, in collaboration with the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), with intelligence support from Meta.

According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, investigations revealed that the suspects ran a sophisticated online investment scam, using fake social media profiles to impersonate reputable cryptocurrency traders and lure unsuspecting victims.

“The suspects utilised fake social media accounts to deceive individuals engaging with legitimate investment platforms,” Hundeyin said, adding that the syndicate also recruited and trained young people in online investment fraud and phishing attacks, targeting mainly UK-based victims and residents.

The arrested suspects were identified as Collins Ogwuorie, Christian Ogwuorie, Gbenoba Emmanuel, Samuel Olufemi, Collins Victor, Onyeka Emenem and Kefas Ogunbor.

Preliminary findings showed that the fraud network was led by Collins Ogwuorie, who allegedly procured about 500 social media accounts from online vendors and distributed them among members of the syndicate for coordinated spamming, impersonation and victim engagement. Each suspect was assigned specific roles, including account management and online interaction.

Police said the group also operated a fake Facebook page titled “Retirement Strategies: Real Estate and Market Insights,” where fabricated testimonials were posted to entice victims into making fraudulent investments.

During the raid, detectives recovered 26 mobile phones, 42 SIM cards and one laptop, all believed to have been used in perpetrating the crimes. Investigations are ongoing, while members of the public have been advised to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of online investment platforms. (Vanguard)

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