A Nigerian Crypto-Romance Scam Has Led to 800 Arrests

In a significant raid on a building suspected of serving as a center for global online fraud, Nigeria’s anti-graft agency has detained 792 people. The suspects, who included 40 Filipino and 148 Chinese nationals, were taken into custody on December 10 at the seven-story Big Leaf Building in Lagos, the economic hub of Nigeria, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The opulent structure functioned as a call center that catered to victims from the Americas and Europe, according to EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren. Social media sites like Instagram and WhatsApp were used by scammers to entice victims with romantic offers or phony investment opportunities, especially in cryptocurrencies.

After being trusted, victims were coerced into sending money to fraudulent enterprises. According to Uwujaren, victims were first recruited by Nigerian accomplices, who then defrauded them through their international partners. During the raid, the EFCC confiscated laptops, phones, and automobiles, and it is collaborating with foreign partners to look into potential connections to organized crime.

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