The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Scammers

  • Attention Buhari: Save my son from Nigerian scammers

    Attention Buhari: Save my son from Nigerian scammers

    Open Letter to President Mohammadu Buhari

    To many people, Nigeria is termed as the country of scammers and cheats.  I am sorry, but this is a true and an ugly word to use for a country that is so rich in history.

    Young vulnerable people, old vulnerable people are taken advantage of by these unscrupulous scammers and cheated out of their life savings.  They have no heart and are callous.

    My young son, has been a victim to these scammers.  His life savings have been gobbled up by this scammer who goes under the name of Mike Bauer.  He now calls himself Tion Bauer.  My son, young, vulnerable, handicapped, and of limited intelligence has been used and is still being used by this man.

    My son, thoroughly brainwashed, now begs his friends and relations to give him SFR. 10’000 to give to this man.  This is a fortune that no one can afford, and my son cried for days, and even tried to commit suicide because he could not come up with this sum.  The Child Protection Agency took over last month and my son’s bank account is now frozen.  But my son has been cheated out of a sum of SFr. 15’000 – his life savings.  An emotional blackmail, because Mike / Tion Bauer threatened my son with suicide if he did not come up with the money.

    I humbly ask you, Mr. President that this man, Mike / Tion Bauer who pretends to be an American living in Britain but has an Nigerian telephone number be caught and tried.  We would like to see the sum of SFr. 15’000 being refunded to our son by him.

    My son sent the money to:

    The United Bank for Africa

    Account Name: Madu Emmanuel

    Bank Address: No 4 Uba Mbari Street Owerri, imo state Nigeria

    Account Number: 3002161148

    Swift Code: UNAFNGLA

    Mike / Tion Bauer’s Telelephone Number: +234 903 037 0552

    The reason for my writing an open letter to you, Mr. President, is because I do not know whether my letter to you would be reached or even read by you.  We are little people. We are not rich.  We have no influence.  But we have a Nigerian President who has promised to fight corruption when sworn in as President.  And we have God.

    Yours sincerely,

    Anjou Christen

     

    Copy to : The Nigerian Police

    The Banks of Nigeria and especially to The United Bank for Africa

  • ‘Oil subsidy scammers nurturing vandalism, militancy, crude oil theft’

    The oil subsidy scammers, who benefitted immensely from fake importation of petroleum products are nurturing vandalism,  militancy, crude oil theft and the unwarranted disruptions in the sector, to the level being witnessed, especially in the Niger Delta.

    The disclosure was made yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, by the Convener of the Second Edition of the Save Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry (SNOAGI) Roundtable, Dr. Brown Ogbeifun.

    The roundtable was organised by the African Initiative for Transparency, Accountability and Responsible Leadership (AFRITAL).

    Project SNOAGI was launched last year, as a veritable platform for bringing stakeholders together to interact, brainstorm and make prescriptions on how to improve the efficiency of the oil and gas operations, thereby assisting government in bringing sanity to the sector.

    Ogbeifun said: “Most of the motherless US Dollars,  British Pounds, Euro and Naira found in wardrobes, farms and soak-away pits are definitely primary or secondary products of mismanaged oil funds, which might explain why the oil industry has witnessed gross underdevelopment.

    “The revelations emanating from the Malabu oil deal, the brazen cash withdrawals from oil money accounts to pursue non-value addition to the good of our hydrocarbon development are indeed very sad.

    “There is no doubt that there has been lack of investors’ confidence in the oil industry, as policies and laws that would have protected their investments are not seriously addressed.

    “The issues of over regulation through multiple regulatory agencies, multiple taxation, global and local oil politics have made it an intractable possibility for Nigeria to reach it’s optimum productivity.”

    The convener also stated that Nigeria was ripe enough to be self sufficient in producing all the necessary derivatives from crude oil.

    Ogbeifun noted that compounding the parlous state of the oil and gas sector came the sabotaging of the pipelines by the militants, which he insisted almost crippled operations in the sector.

    He said: “Paradoxically, we export our crude oil and create refining capacities for other economies, at the detriment of the Nigerian state. Why must we continue to export our mineral resources in exchange for finished products in the oil and gas industry?

    “Our leaders have consistently displayed lack of political will to drive the transformation imperatives to a logical conclusion. That is why we are still talking of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), 17 years after it started its journey.

    “No country treats its critical reforms the way we do. Not passing the PIB has led to losses in trillions of naira, loss of investment opportunities, inability to realise our optimum capacity utilisation and the inability to end gas flaring, which was to have ended in 2008.

    “The PIB might not be a perfect document, just as it is all over the world. All we need is an enduring dialogue process and the will of steel by government to drive the process to its logical conclusion. No matter the drawbacks, the PIB contains many sections that would have greatly enhanced the hydrocarbon potential of Nigeria.”

    The convener also stated that mediation was very effective in the resolution of knotty conflicts, while pleading that the ongoing dialogue process between top officials of the Federal Government and Niger Delta militants/leaders should be sustained.

    He noted that while government was seeking solutions to all the challenges in the Niger Delta, all parties should sheathe their swords,  show good faith and respect for one another, declaring that no meaningful development would take place in an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy.

    Ogbeifun added that the pronouncements of the Federal Government’s top officials on the setting up of modular refineries in the Niger Delta and the open confession that the crude oil and gas-rich region deserved a better deal, showed that there were still honourable men in the corridors of power in Nigeria.

  • UTME ban: VC warns about scammers

    The Vice Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) in Ondo, Ondo State, Prof Friday Okonofua, said no university would abide by the new policy of the Federal Government on scrapping the post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).

    Okonofua, who claimed the government did not consult Vice-Chancellors before making the pronouncement, said such step would only encourage scammers in the admission process.

    The VC spoke at a briefing organised to launch the Friends of UNIMED Fund (FUF) held at the university conference hall.

    “The government should not introduce policies that would encourage corruption in the education sector,” Okonufua warned.

    He said one of the challenges facing tertiary institutions in the country is inadequate funding.  He added that institutions that seek global excellence must explore alternative methods of funding.

    He noted that the new university has up to 10 different fund raising strategies, one of which is the FUFs.

    “The goal of the institution is to attract one million faithful friends, who make donations of at least N1,000 each. This will amount to about N1billion each year, enough to embark on major developmental project each year for the university,” Okonofua said.

    As a reward, the VC said donors would be included in the roll call and honours of friends that will be published from time to time; mentioned as donors in any project to be supported with proceeds of the fund; and regularly receive information about the university.

  • Why youths engage in online fraud

    Why youths engage in online fraud

    As an Internet user, you would have at different point in time come across certain posts that look so inviting that you are tempted to give it a try. Like they say, once bitten twice shy, for those who have fallen victims to the seemingly safe online business transactions where money must change hands, they would easily decipher that scammers are at work.
    They consist of youths most of whom are either lazy or unemployed; using different tactics to deceive unsuspecting Internet users.
    It was on this premise that the Nation sought the views of its Facebook friends and the responses were quite insightful – hundreds of fans, most of whom are youths, bared their minds on the subject matter.
    Below are few of the comments:
    Oduh Chidiebere Ajanto: “An idle mind they say is the Devil’s workshop” Obviously, the major thing the youths gain from engaging in these crimes is money. Also, money is the root of all evil. However, it is much more than that. It is what ultimately defines if you are alive or not. Let me explain. Firstly, those who claim to be our leaders have no feelings whatsoever for the betterment of the country. It is believed that infrastructural development is picking up gradually; nothing has been done in the area of true governance. I define true governance as the type of governance that focuses on human management.
    Consequently, jobs are scarce and in most cases reserved. By reserved, I mean that jobs are exclusively kept for the children or relatives of men and women (Nigerian politicians and leaders) who have already made it in the society
    The Nigerian society is built on a framework of money-defines-personality. To gain respect and relevance in this society, you must have money and sometimes, so much of it. A man without money in Nigeria is derided, spat on, and treated as a piece of trash by not only outsiders, but also by his own family. Most times, to even get a good wife, you must have money to be able to walk up to a woman and propose otherwise, it would be termed as an insult. Our very existence is firmly hinged on the supreme importance of money and all it brings. So to be ‘alive’ in Nigeria, you must make money.

    Suliat H

    Ibrahim: “This is not just the nation newspapers problem but the whole word, the brain behind the activity of online fraud is originated from America and Europe,” AOL and Yahoo can also be held responsible! ” it was born out of greed and corruption the whole world is currently experiencing, it will surprise you to learn that the F B I has so many agents worldwide and the fraudulent activities continues to grow day by day, believe me I am a software developer and I can tell you that the genesis of fraud should be traced to the development of viruses and VPN and other internet protocol protection applications, you will be shocked to note that computer viruses are not from heaven, it was developed by the same companies that developed and sell the antivirus softwares.

    The real problems is technological advancements, so many applications for filtering and rogue security software has encouraged the identity theft and stealing of personal information as well, the deep secret of, phishing blacklisting and whitelisting.

    Akorede Salam

    Animasaun: “Get rich quickly syndrome” It baffles me when a youth complains about unemployment as a reason for any nefarious activities when there are lot of ways which you can make ends meet. Myself as a case study, over ten years ago I ventured into poultry and fishery rearing with just 100 broiler-chicken and 600 fish juvenile with that I started white-washing “maggot” yes (idin) and sold it to fish farmers to be able to eat, gradually I combined it with farm to farm delivery of chicken intestine which is also very stinking to the extent that wherever I go, people chase me away due to the odour. By the special grace of God, I have about 30,000 big-catfish farm capacity and big standard poultry house of 3,000 capacity, am living in my house and single handedly sponsored my sibling to Dublin, Ireland and America with the money from stinking Agric business. Please, youths should forget about government because they don’t have anything for us, is only when youths have a change in reasoning and orientation of “get rich quickly syndrome” then problem is solved.

    Abdullahi Ibrahim: Without apology to anybody, this is what you get in a society where criminals are being celebrated and those who go extra mile to make the country proud are undermined. This is because, to them, it is the only way to succeed; the only way you can be celebrated .Our religious leaders and parents have failed to instill the fear of God in their children/wards. Irrespective of your tribal, religious and political affiliation, with the fear of God, the whole world is a safe place.
    Olugbenga Pelumi: Well how do we eradicate fraud amongst the youth when our leaders are legends in it?
    We the youth follow the paths they left for us regardless of whether it’s good or bad! When the country starts to boast of good leaders at the very top, we the youth would emulate them but since they remain tycoons in corruptions and frauds, what do you want us to do?
    Another factor is unemployment, my brother finished service last year but he is yet to get a Job, All these things are depressing though it can’t justify criminality but it’s a huge factor!
    Let the leaders at the very top stop their corrupt practices, let them make Nigeria a society where there is good sense of fairness, justice and love, when you live in a society where you all have equal chances of making it in life, such society won’t have much criminals but hardworking men because they know their hard work and diligence would be rewarded at the end of the day! But we live in a country where the rich get richer while the poor continue to struggle. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting ridiculous! Let us bridge these gaps and let’s see what happens. Let us get rid of corruption from our society, once this is done, the rest are minor problems!
    Isenibi Simeon Baiyeri: The reasons are obvious. Low self-esteem, lack of confidence in self, lack of proactiveness and initiatives, lust for quick riches, lack of vision, laziness are some of the primary factors. The secondary factors include unemployment, inequality in wealth distribution of the country (I mean politicians work for 4 years to earn billions while civil servants work for 35 years to earn peanuts and/or dying struggling for their benefits).
    Let’s face it. What do we think is the cause of Boko Haram, Niger-Delta kidnappings? Poverty and the aforementioned points. I stand to be corrected.
    Chisom Ashley Okpala: Changes in a tree will always start with the roots before the stems. The youths are the roots and the leaves are the politicians. Fraud didn’t start with the adults but the youths and can only be taken away by the youths. So the best way to stop it is by encouraging youths to join the fight against it.
    Yakubu Olayinka Yakson: Unemployment among the youths gives birth to daily increase in fraud and until unemployment among the youth is address Nigeria will be a leading fraudulent country. In addition, Nigeria under PDP watch since inception of Democracy in 1999 has neglected the Nigerian youths to their fate.
    You can attest to the fact that at every government forum, the plight of the youth is “preventively” discussed with promises to address them. The promises aren’t new since 1999 but, fulfilling those promises is the magic that is yet to be believed. The acclaimed youth friendly government of the day who does not see or yet to find a youth that is competent to take up ministerial appointment except changing an old for another old. The pathetic aftermath of the NIS recruitment is yet to be given attention. Perhaps, attention may be given to it in their 2015 election manifestoes.
    Atayero Biagogo Samuel O’Femi: Well, many may shift the blame on our leaders, but that is never a reasonable excuse for anybody to engage in fraudulent acts because he sees others doing it. We can all stand out for the right thing. In this same nation that we have bad leadership as epidemic, many are still doing fine without any bad records. I think our problem is the issue of mindset. The way we think has really affected our actions. If Nigeria will change let change the way we think. If we think right all will be right. Why we act the way we do is the reflection of the way we think, for as a man thinks so he is.
    Gunn Michael: The problem of the youth is not the leaders or bad governance. The problem starts from the home, lack of parental guidance, because today leaders were ones under their parents who may have immensely influenced them in one way or the other. The fight against corruption must start from the home.
    Rev’d Tim Daniels Oricha: Any nation that gives no attention to her youths is doomed. Nigeria has great numbers of unemployed graduates. An idle mind is the devils workshop. Let the government give attention to our youths welfare.
    Agborie Obus James: I think the environment you found yourself go a long way to influence such a person, take for instance somebody who has no access to good life (education and financial independence) may have no choice but to carter for himself through any means possible. So my advice to authorities is to create enabling environment and giving starter pack to deserving youths which may on the long curb the menace of fraud and ill practices.
    Ojuade Adesanya Emmanuel: My dear Nigerians, legal measures have been put in place in Nigeria to get rid of fraud. It is important to know that if any law fails to meet its enactment purpose, that Law is worthy of being repealed. So, fraud is criminal in Nigeria and if our Law cannot stop the menace any longer, it is the duty of the National Assembly to repeal such Law. Government should try their possible best to find solution to the problem of unemployment in Nigeria. Believe me, an idle hand is the devil’s workshop. If these youths are engaged in a better trade, the menace may be reduced. Also, our people should be sensitized about the risks associated with the internet. I mean, they should be alerted the presence of fraudsters on the internet so as not to be trapped.
    Bashir Abba: It’s a reflection of how we have gone so low in moral decay forgetting spiritual life and embracing material life. It is a reflection of our society inability to provide us all with something to live up to, and our basic amenities. Fraud today in Nigeria tells how deep the feeling that the ends justifies the means…and shows how bad our habit of not caring how someone makes wealth has destroyed us
    Dogara Adamu Pama: These are lazy minds tempting or setting bait for cheap minds, nothing good comes that easy especially when money is involved
    Obadiah Egwuonwu Chikezie: We should go back to the old ways of training up our children. Those days we use our brains to build small cars and even homes but now we have cartoon and noodles children.
    Emmanuel Akeju: More Nigerian youths have taken to fraud because perpetrators are hardly apprehended. When apprehended they are hardly prosecuted. Even when attempts are made to prosecute them, these are hardly done conscientiously. Even if prosecuted and indicted, the convicted ones soon get state pardon, which are mostly politically motivated. Even when not pardoned, the sanctions are often too light to serve as deterrent to would-be offenders.  Nigeria criminal codes need be strengthened, the judiciary needs to stand firm and refuse to condole corruption and the executive develop the will to fight corruption. Overall, the society need to re-prioritize value systems. Emphasis should not be on the assets owned by individuals but more on character and real contributions to nation building.
    Edu B. Etok: These youths keep doing this stuff because our society celebrates money without questions being asked about the source of the money. Also, they exist because of greedy Nigerians who patronize them! Some people are just too greedy, too desperate to get rich at all cost that they easily take the baits dangled by these fraudsters without asking questions about the veracity of the offers (often too good to be true!). Take away the patronage and the fraudsters will be out of job.
    Ukpong-eyen Philip: In my opinion I think our leaders are to blame, in my school days I was taught that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow but I never see that happen in Nigeria our leaders keep jumping from one position to another leaving the youth to roam the city like sheep without shepherd.
    Sometimes I asked myself either our teachers were deceiving us or TOMORROW IS YET TO COME, go round all the company in Niger Delta and see how our leaders our using foreigners to enslave citizens in our own country, they make us prisoners in style and fashion they make us slaves and refugee in our fatherland; though I don’t support fraud I want to tell you that boys are not smiling.
    Prince Ephraim Ihejiene: Evil begets evil. When parents bribe to get their children pass exams and gain admissions, they legalize fraud before these children. When parents join cult to gain positions or advantage over others, the children see it as a way of life. When monarchs collect money to confer honorary titles on people of questionable characters, the youth think it is normal to acquire wealth by all means. A society where you are not a friend to the police unless you are a criminal
    Tunde Famu: Moral decadence led to the situation that we are now. No more moral teaching in our schools, homes, religion places and parents lack morals and discipline too. Our political leaders lack morals and discipline- Lack of morals and discipline equal corruption. Corruption destroys growth and progress.

    Click link below to read more comments

    Post by The Nation Newspaper.

  • NAFDAC raises the alarm over fake syndicates

    NAFDAC raises the alarm over fake syndicates

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at the weekend raised the alarm over a fake recruitment syndicate in the agency.

    It said it had not commissioned any agency for such purposes.

    The Chairman, NAFDAC Governing Council, Prof. John Ibu, told journalists in Abuja that the agency follows due process in its recruitment exercise.

    He said NAFDAC does not collect any form of money or payment for recruitment into its workforce.

    According to him: “Our attention has been drawn to the illegal and fraudulent activities of scammers extorting money from unsuspecting victims in the guise of recruiting them into NAFDAC.

    “These criminal elements have put up an advertorial message online claiming that they were recruiting for the Agency.

    “The message read thus: NAFDAC Recruitment from 2014/2015 is put. Call Topix on 0092348024065604. www.topic.net/world/Nigeria/TPP26T0946QVFMAMK.

     

    “Against this background, we want to state unequivocally that NAFDAC is not recruiting at the moment, nor has it mandated anybody or organisation to do so on its behalf.

     

    “Members of the public are urged to beware of the activities of these conmen posing as consultants or recruitment agencies for NAFDAC.

     

    “We hereby urge members of the public to disregard this information and report any suspected shady activity to NAFDAC via text to08033630600, 08058741647 and the nearest NAFDAC office nationwide or security agencies for prompt response.”

     

  • Scammers target senators with spurious awards

    A syndicate of scammers is targeting senators, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, has said.

    He spoke yesterday at a news conference in Abuja.

    The lawmaker said he was almost fooled by the antics of the criminals who purportedly nominated him for an African Grassroots Development Strategy Campaign (AGDSC) Award 2012.

    The organisers were purportedly working in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation with sponsorship from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

    Ibrahim, former Yobe State governor, said the award, which came with a prize tag of $100,000, was purportedly meant for his outstanding performance in the “alleviation of poverty/desertification programme.”

    He said: “Recently, some friends saw publications in newspapers that I had won a ‘Mo Ibrahim Award’.

    “I had a call and DHL delivery from one supposed professor from the University of Cape Town, South Africa that I had received: ‘The Exemplary Grassroots Leadership Quality In Africa Award 2012’ purportedly sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and Mo Ibrahim Foundation – two of the most reputable award organisations in the world.

    “My workers contacted the organisers who asked us to submit our names to their liaison officer at the South African High Commission for visas.

    “They demanded no money and provided contacts that gave the impression that they were real and we thought we were dealing with a campaign sponsored by Mo Ibrahim and Rockefeller foundations in South Africa.

    “I became enthusiastic and informed my colleagues, friends and family and received support. Some friends began to prepare to celebrate the event and even took out the publications in the newspapers and the story spread.

    “Before people began to commit resources, I carried out an investigation, which showed a scam targeted at personalities across Africa.

    “We contacted the Mo Ibrahim Foundation office in London, which published a disclaimer.

    “We have also informed the University of Cape Town, Prof. Ali Mazrui, Ebrahim Patel, a minister in South Africa and others named as partners in the scam.

    “They have dissociated themselves and the law enforcement authorities have been contacted. I have warned my friends, well-wishers and colleagues not to raise any fund and that they should stop further preparation.

    “I must admit that I’m amazed by the professional sophistication of these scammers. There are great lessons to be learnt: Our society is now littered with angry, ruthless and dangerous people.

    “With robbers, kidnappers and criminals everywhere – no one is safe anymore – not the people, not the politicians.

    “I will commit myself anew to the fight for social justice, quality education and creation of jobs. This is the least we expect from President Goodluck Jonathan before he leaves office, and it is the only way to curb crimes in our society.”