The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 105 persons, including four Chinese nationals, for alleged involvement in an international hotel review job scam.
The arrests were made on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at Naka Hall Plaza in Gudu, Abuja.
The suspects engage in an elaborate international hotel review job scam targeting unsuspecting victims primarily in the United Kingdom.
This scam’s modus operandi involves a meticulously crafted scheme designed to deceive unsuspecting individuals into believing they can earn substantial income by writing reviews for hotels.
The fraudsters, often operating under fabricated foreign identities and utilizing sophisticated communication techniques, initially offer enticing incentives for writing hotel reviews, starting with seemingly modest payments of $5 per review.
However, this is merely the bait. As the victims become increasingly involved, the fraudsters gradually increase the payment per review, enticing them to invest larger sums of money.
They are then encouraged to book expensive hotel rooms, with promises of full reimbursement and substantial returns on their investment.
These returns are often promised to be paid into cryptocurrency wallets, adding complexity and anonymity to the fraudulent scheme.
Once the victims complete these bookings, they are cut off from accessing their cryptocurrency wallets, effectively losing all their invested funds. Leaving them financially devastated and emotionally distraught.
During the raid at Naka Hall Plaza, EFCC operatives seized evidence, including 100 compact workstations used by the suspects to perpetrate this global fraud.
The EFCC collaborates with law enforcement agencies worldwide to dismantle scam networks in Nigeria and bring all perpetrators to justice.
The Naka Hall Plaza operation in Abuja followed a similar large-scale arrest conducted by the EFCC in December 2024, when 792 individuals were apprehended in Lagos for involvement in various internet fraud schemes, including the arrest of the most wanted Yahoo Boy in Nigeria.
These successive operations demonstrate the EFCC’s unwavering commitment to combating cybercrime in all its forms and protecting the Nigerian public from falling victim to these sophisticated and often devastating scams.
The EFCC urges the public to remain vigilant and cautious when encountering online opportunities that seem too good to be true. It is crucial to thoroughly research any investment opportunity, verify the authenticity of the individuals or entities involved, and avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information with unknown individuals or entities online.
Stay tuned to Abuja Blog for updates on this and other breaking news.
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