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A 26-year-old man, Egbedayo Semilore, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan zonal office for engaging in internet love and romance scams.
According to the anti-graft agency, Semilore poses on the internet with two American Army Officers’ identitied by the names Sergeant Shaft Pagan and Perrie Edingson who are allegedly serving in Afghanistan.
Semilore, during interrogation that he usee proceeds from his romance scams to live a flamboyant lifestyle and bought himself a 2010 Lexus car which he registered in his mother’s name.
When contacted, the mother told the operatives that she is aware that her son was always on the internet.
She said “I know he always press the laptop”
Semilore’s last victim being one P. J. (full names withheld) from the United State from whom he claimed to have obtained about N4million in tranches with which he bought himself a car.
The EFCC also arrested, Elijah Jeremiah (a.k.a Jerry), a self styled fashion Director of Datsol Industries Limited for alleged Internet fraud activities respectively.
Jeremiah, 29, the EFCC said, surfs the internet for online purchases through auction sites.
Investigations revealed that Jeremiah who resided in No 3 Adeniyi Avenue, old Bodija, Ibadan, lived an ostentatious life without a known source of income. He always indoor surfing the internet.
Jeremiah confessed to have been involved in internet surfing for auction sites through which he makes online purchases of items from China.
According to him, he downloads Letter of Credit purportedly issued by Scotia Online Financial Services of Scotia bank worldwide from Google and edits it to suit his transactions with which he pays for the purchases.
The auctioneers, unaware of his antics however often fall victim of his game by shipping the goods to him ahead of confirmation of payment.
Items recovered from the two suspects include one laptop, three modems, one iphone and two Nokia phones, international Passport, forged Union Bank Statement of Account with NUBAN number:10141411389 for Datsol Industries Limited and an envelope containing several documents were recovered from Jeremiah.
Also, three identity cards bearing different names and biodata, a 2010 Black Toyota Lexus car with registration number (Lagos) SMK 475 EH, two laptops and one Blackberry Passport phones were recovered from Semilore. Several love scam mails were also found and downloaded from his laptops.
They will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed, the EFCC said.