In recent years, Nigeria has turned into fertile ground for electronic fraud, with millions of dollars, according to John Africs.
In a report, the magazine revealed that “in the heart of the capital, Lagos, where the streets are crowded with buses and markets, daily conversations are not without electronic fraud stories that have become a broad social phenomenon.”
The magazine said: “The term (Al -Baraotr), which is called digital fraudsters, has become common, especially as it reflects a phenomenon that has penetrated in society to the point that some justify it as a restoration of looted wealth during the era of colonialism.”
This type of fraud is known locally as “419”, in relation to the legal material that criminalizes these activities, a phenomenon whose roots date back to the thirties of the last century, but it witnessed an explosion during the seventies with the escalation of unemployment and poverty rates after the Piafra war, “according to the report.
According to the report, “with the entry of the Internet into the life of the Nigerians, the methods of fraud evolved, to show the term (Yahoo Youth), referring to the fraudsters who use the email to inflict their victims through fake messages related to investments or false emotional relationships.”
Among the most prominent names in this field, “Hashebobi” and “Momva”, who took advantage of their skills in misleading and technology to target victims around the world.
Despite their luxurious lifestyle, and their fame on social media, they ended up in the grip of justice, to become a symbol of the rise and decline in digital scammers.
In April 2024, the Economic and Financial Crime Committee spent the prison of the young Eczeemite Edit, for a period of 10 years, after establishing a school to teach digital fraud methods for young people aspiring to rapid wealth.
The report concluded that, in light of these facts, the Nigerian authorities find themselves facing increasing challenges to stop digital fraud, at a time when society is witnessing serious transformations, achieving rapid wealth, whatever the means, has become a dream for many young people, even if it was at the expense of their future behind bars.
