Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have dismantled a syndicate of fraudsters specializing in hotel review job scams. Acting on intelligence, the EFCC arrested 105 suspects, including four Chinese nationals and 101 Nigerians, on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at Naka Hall Plaza, Abutu Garba Street, Gudu, Abuja.
The operation led to the recovery of 100 compact workstations allegedly used in perpetrating the scam.
The hotel review job scam, a globally entrenched internet fraud, has recently emerged in Nigeria. The scheme reportedly involves Chinese recruiters employing tech-savvy Nigerians as "Customer Service Representatives."
The representatives work using a pre-designed template to engage foreign victims, primarily in Europe and the United Kingdom. The fraudsters pose as professionals offering $5 per hotel review to gain victims' trust. As trust builds, the payment increases to $10 per review, culminating in victims being persuaded to book hotels for amounts as high as $500, with promises of reimbursement and high-interest returns via cryptocurrency wallets.
However, once the victims make payments, they find themselves unable to access the wallets, resulting in financial losses.
“This scam is an intricate mechanism targeting unsuspecting foreigners. We are collaborating with global law enforcement agencies to uncover the broader dimensions of this crime,” an EFCC spokesperson stated.
The Abuja operation comes just weeks after the EFCC arrested 792 suspected internet fraudsters on December 10, 2024, at the Big Leaf Building, Victoria Island, Lagos. That operation focused on investment and internet-related fraud.
With investigations nearing completion, the Lagos suspects are expected to be charged in court soon.
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