By Esther Onyegbula

When Alhaja Agbola was about stepping out of her apartment in Ikorodu on June 10, 2014, she received an international call.   Without hesitating to check who the caller was, she immediately picked the call and started exchanging pleasantries with the caller whom she assumed to be her relative overseas.

But little did she know she was about falling victim of the antics of fraudsters who use such means to defraud gullible Nigerians. But by the time she realized she was being sucked into a scam, it was too late as she had already parted with a sum of N125,000, in addition to recharge cards.

How it all started

Narrating how she fell victim of the fraudster, she said: “ When I saw the international call, I concluded it would be my uncle from London. To further convince me, he sounded exactly like my uncle. He asked after my husband and children and in the process, he said a colleague of his was in Nigeria and that he would want me to contact somebody who would help him secure an important document from National Immigration School (NIS). He sent me the number of one Kayode Owolabi whom he claimed would assist me in processing the document.

“When I called Kayode Owolabi on 08088968748 , he said that my uncle has already called him. He gave me the number of another person, one Elder Babalola , who resides in Ibadan, saying he would help me get the document from NIS.   Again, I contacted Babalola on 08056542559. He started by praying for me in Yoruba, and promised to assist me get the document. He told me it would cost N100,000 and asked if I would come to Ibadan to collect the document or to send it through courier which he said would cost extra N25,000. I opted for the latter.

“Meanwhile, I was still in contact with Kayode Owolabi and my supposed uncle in London to intimate them about the development. My uncle begged me to give them the amount that his friend would be leaving Nigeria for London the following day, promising to refund every dime spent. I immediately contacted my husband who borrowed the amount from a project fund and I paid it into a UBA account number 2069118593, given to me by Balalola. After the payment, Kayode requested for recharge cards and I sent him Etisalat and Airtel airtime worth N4,000.

Alas, it was fraud

“To my surprise, immediately I deposited the money and sent the recharge cards, all the numbers I had used to discuss with Kayode Owolabi, Elder Babalola and my supposed uncle went dead. That was when I discovered I have been duped. I rushed to the bank next day and explained my plight to the bank manager who went through the system but said he could not disclose anything to me except I had a police report. He also disclosed that the amount I paid had been withdrawn from a branch in Oyo the previous day. I have already reported the case to the police at Ajegunle area of Ikorodu,” she stated, still looking stunned.

Lesson

She kept mute for a while and said: “ I know I acted foolishly. But I want people to learn from my mistake.”

Police intervention

Police sources at Ajegunle branch hinted that investigation was ongoing. It was gathered that one of the policemen flashed the international number and the owner called back. But immediately the policeman mentioned the said document, the caller at the other end reportedly hung up. Attempts to reach the number since then have reportedly failed.