 |
| FILE PHOTO |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one Mohammed Yunusa Tope, who went into a new generation bank in Kano State, to cash N2million fraud money.
Tope, 30, from Edo State, was picked up in a sting operation at the new
generation bank in Kano as he attempted to withdraw the N2million he demanded
from the head of a federal government agency.
A few weeks ago, the Commission arrested one Olubunmo Olalekan who had
been churning out fake invitation letters and messages to prominent citizens
and heads of organisations alleging fraud against them from his Akure
base. Investigators said that Tope is accomplice
to Olalekan.
According to the EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, it has become
necessary to alert the general public about the activities of fraudsters who
have been impersonating officials of the Commission and extorting money from
members of the public under various guises.
Uwujaren said: “Despite arrests and successful prosecution of some of
them by the Commission, such syndicates have continued to mushroom and changing
tactics as soon as their latest modus operandi are exposed. There have
been of recent, a worrying upsurge in the number of fake invitation letters
purported to have been issued by the EFCC, which the criminals are busy sending
to unsuspecting members of the public, alleging high financial crimes against
them.”
Uwujaren said that pliable recipients of some of these letters had lost
millions of naira to these gangsters in their desperation to forestall arrest
and possible prosecution for unstated crimes.
The image maker said that despite repeated warnings by the Commission,
that no genuine EFCC invitation will request the recipient to call any private
GSM number or any telephone line for that matter and that EFCC will not invite
anybody to a meeting at any place other than the known offices of the
Commission, many are still falling victims of the scam.
“The new dimension to the criminal exploits of the syndicates, is to
send text messages to would-be victims, alleging that they have pending
cases before the EFCC and offering proposals for a soft landing. This new
gimmick is targeted at politicians, especially those who are aspiring to hold offices
in the next dispensation,” said Uwujaren.
Uwujaren said that the Commission wishes to state as follows: EFCC invitation letters do not bear personal telephone numbers. They are
usually signed by duly authorised officers and invitees are clearly instructed
to report to a specified officer at the Commission’s office; No EFCC invitation will require the
invitee to report at any building or location outside the known offices of the
Commission; EFCC invitation cannot be traded off under any circumstance;
The
Commission does not demand or accept payment, either to commence or discontinue
an investigation; EFCC does
not invite persons under investigation via text messages; Any person who receives an invitation
letter should confirm the authenticity of such an invitation from the
Commission through the following email or telephone numbers: info@efccnigeria.org,
09-9044752 or 09-9044753
No comments:
Post a Comment