EFCC arrests 113 internet fraudsters in 3 states

The Benin Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday said it has apprehended 113 internet fraudsters in its areas of jurisdiction which includes Edo, Delta and Ondo states.

This was just as the commission said it was prosecuting many of the cases in court, adding that “we have so far secured 53 convictions in the period under review.”

Head, Benin zone of the agency, Muhtar Bello, who disclosed this at a press conference in Benin-City, Edo state said the arrest was in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in the United States.

He said a female suspect is also in its custody for reportedly working in collaboration with foreign counterparts for links to the dark web.

“Our collaboration with the FBI led to the arrest of a female suspected cyber fraudster who works in collaboration with foreign counterpart in the dark web.

“She is involved in obtaining/stealing people’s identification information which she forwards to her American collaborator. Her collaborators use it to file for fraudulent tax return with the internal revenue service,” the EFCC staff disclosed.

Bello said the suspect is involved in obtaining/stealing people’s identification information and forwarding same to her American collaborators.

He said the N656,37, 490 million has been traced to the suspect which according to him, is her share of the fraudulent acts.

Continuing, he said: “Several exotics cars were confiscated from the suspects. Other items recovered from the suspects are laptops, computers, charms and others.

“The commission is resolute in exterminating cyber-crime and bringing to book all those involved in this despicable activity.”