Nigeria: Couple, others lose N5.4m to fraudulent investment scheme
By Ahmad Hadizat Omayoza, Mamos Nigeria
After losing a total of N5.4 million to an online investment site that reportedly crashed just as they were about to withdraw their funds, some victims have described their ordeals.
Three of the people in question, in isolated interviews with PUNCH Metro, described how they were supposedly cheated of their cash with a commitment of harvesting benefits from the web-based venture.
One of the people in question, Kwara-based Abdulfatai Oluwashina, who talked with our reporter on Wednesday, said he was alluded to the cryptographic money mining stage by his companion, Bilikisu Dada.
He said he lost N1.8m while his significant other lost N550,000 to the plan.
“I started on February 7, 2023, until May 20,” Oluwashina stated. The cash I lost to the plan is about N1.8m.
“On May 20 when the site crashed, I unconsciously put an extra N250,000. The benefit is intended to be harvested progressively. On the off chance that you put cash now, you would begin harvesting the next day. Be that as it may, the manner in which they organized it, assuming that you put in N300,000, you can’t procure up to N80,000 till the time they present another speculation.
“They realize Nigerians are simple. The greater part of us are naïve. Assuming you put in N300,000 now, when you procure up to N100,000, they will present another machine to such an extent that you wouldn’t pull out that cash. You would purchase another machine or even add more cash. We were caught in that something.
“My all out venture was about N3m yet I had the option to pull out some, I have about N1.8m with them now. I alluded my better half who likewise lost N550,000.”
She regretted that since May 20, the internet based stage had gone clear with ‘Bank administration overhauling’ composed on the webpage.
He lamented, “The system is now crashed and it is no longer opening.”
Bilikisu, situated in Maiduguri, Borno State, who presented Abdulfatai said, “I was a casualty as well. Our cash went that way. I put in about N1.3 million. They began in November 2022 to April 2023. I don’t know anyplace to answer to. They are into mining cryptographic money. Individuals who succumbed that I know are more than 20. I discovered the platform online.
Another casualty, Ojo Oluwaseun, who is likewise situated in Maiduguri, said, “We were thinking it was a genuine speculation. They informed us that they had a Bitcoin-like machine. We downloaded their application from PlayStore. I contributed up to N1.5m. Several of my friends invested more. I alluded many individuals. I began with them in Spring. I had the option to separately pull out N60,000 and N180,000 the first and second time.”
PUNCH Metro assembled that the anchors eliminated themselves from the gathering after the turn of events and their numbers quit going through.
Our correspondent’s calls to Mark and Amanda, two of the anchors, did not result in a response.
