Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended 792 individuals in connection with a massive online fraud operation based in Lagos.
The suspects, including 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino nationals, were detained during a December 10 raid on the seven-storey Big Leaf Building, reportedly functioning as a call center targeting victims in Europe and the Americas.
According to EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, the scammers used platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram to lure victims with false promises of romance or lucrative cryptocurrency investments. Once trust was established, victims were coerced into transferring money to fraudulent schemes.
Uwujaren revealed that Nigerian operatives initiated contact with the victims, while their international partners orchestrated the financial fraud. Authorities confiscated computers, phones, and vehicles during the operation and are collaborating with global agencies to uncover potential ties to organized crime networks.
