EXCLUSIVE: Serial Fraudster Dupes 73year old CBN Retiree

THE SERIAL FRAUDSTER, PHILIP ORJI

Operatives of Special Fraud Unit, SFU, Ikoyi, Lagos, has arrested a serial fraudster, 22-year-old Philip Ikechukwu Orji, who specialises in defrauding unsuspected victims through cloned messages from GSM networks.

Although the suspect was said to have successfully carried out previous fraudulent deals, he was picked up by the police inside the banking hall of Keystone bank as he was about to withdraw the N10million paid into a bank account no 2052312003 by the victim.

It was gathered that the suspect clones text messages from different networks to deceive people on the grounds that they are one of the winners of the supposed promos being undertaken by the network providers.

Confirming the arrest, the unit's spokesperson, Ngozi Isintume –Agu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said personnel from the unit laid ambush for the suspect based on the strength of the petition laid by the victim, one Mr. Steven.

She disclosed that the SFU Commissioner of Police, Tunde Ogunsakin, had detailed the victim to pay in the money to the said account number belonging to one Ikechukwu Okafor which turned out to be an account he opened with  falsified documents in-order to evade arrest.

She said, "We are interrogating the bank officials to find out why Ikechukwu was allowed to operate at account with false document."

According to the victim, he had received a text message on September 16, 2011, supposedly sent from his network provider, Airtel, that he won N2million for using up to N200 airtime in two weeks in their ongoing promo with batch number A17.

“They requested that I should call one, Mr. Ken Eze who is the account officer on 08132956960. I immediately called the man who requested that I am expected to pay 4.8 per cent of the amount that I won as Charge on Turnover( COT)."

The 73-year-old Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) retiree said he paid N264, 200 and much later, another N2million into account number 0033313251 that belongs to Eghobamen Agnes in Festac branch of GTB and Mbamalu Nnenna Ruth,  First Bank with account number 3040173040, respectively as requested. 

Shortly after the payment, he said Adams sent him a congratulatory message that his name has been listed on the final list and on November 9, he was told he would receive a voucher (ticket) for the gala. He said they kept demanding for one fee or the other and although Femi who claimed to be a staff of Airtel confirmed each transaction, he became worried when after a year, he was yet to lay hands on money that he won. 

When he confronted them, he said they demanded for another N4million, which made him report the matter to the police. Ikechukwu on his part claimed that his only duty was to volunteer his account number for transfer of funds at the end of which he was N150, 000. 

On how opened the fake account, he  said he walked into the bank and opened a savings account with a fake identity card, PHCN bill and an address that cannot be traced. 

Meanwhile Ogunsaki called on Nigerians to make extra effort by visiting the office of such companies and personally confirm such promo, adding that the unit would investigate any bank that fails to confirm the true identity of its prospective customers before allowing them accesses to their facilities.