MADRID Jan. 11 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s main anti-corruption agency, has arrested 105 people, including four Chinese nationals, for alleged online scam through false promises of payments in exchange for hotel reviews.
The scam, known as the “Hotel Review Job Scam,” deceived victims, primarily in the United Kingdom, by promising payments for reviewing hotels. The scam began with small payments, which increased as the victim continued to participate.
“The modus operandi is used by the Chinese, who generally hire local Nigerians and computer experts as customer service representatives,” the EFCC explained in a statement.
In this way, the agency explained, the crime consists of “making false statements to victims to gain their trust and participating in hotel evaluations with promises of five dollars for each hotel that is evaluated.”
“As the victims receive the payment, they are encouraged to evaluate more hotels and the payment increases to ten dollars per evaluation,” they have detailed, concluding that finally, they are induced to make reservations at the hotels, evaluated in up to $500, losing the money in a cryptocurrency wallet.
The operation came barely a month after the EFCC arrested 792 suspected fraudsters in Lagos on December 10, 2024.
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