Romance Scam: Police Nab Suspects For Defrauding Korean Lovers N91m

Operatives of the Nigerian Police have secured the arrest of two suspects over fraud to the tune of 259,637,941 Korean Won (KRW) worth of cryptocurrency. The amount is equivalent to about N91m.

The suspects were also arrested for computer-related fraud, identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, and obtaining money by false pretence.

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The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) arrested the suspects. The duo run a syndicate specializing in defrauding unsuspecting victims from foreign countries.

The natives of Edo State, Odia Theophilus, 24 and Ebo Success, 25, defraud their victims by assuming appealing identities of other persons and promising them romantic relationships, under the pretext of which they defrauded their victims.

A statement signed by the Force’s Spokesperson CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said a report on their activities was received from Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency in Korea through the Interpol National Central Bureau in May 2021.

“The suspects approached the victim, one Baek Seong-hee, a Korean national, via Kakaotalk, a mobile messaging application used majorly in South Korea, in the guise of being a member of the US Armed Forces stationed in Yemen,” the statement revealed.

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Upon arrest, the police noted that the suspects confessed to being part of a syndicate responsible for these crimes and stated their roles as accomplices who provided bank accounts for fraudsters in furtherance of their nefarious activities.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, fdc, CFR, has lauded the efforts of the Head, NPF-NCCC, DCP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, in ensuring a clampdown on cybercrime related offences.

“The IGP similarly extolled the collaboration being enjoyed with other police agencies worldwide via the Interpol NCB platform stressing its importance in tackling transnational crimes.

“Suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” the statement said.

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