148 Chinese Arrested in Africa Cyber Scam: 73 Mansions, 1596 Computers – A Disgrace to the Nation!

The following content is based on the provided text, which expresses a strong negative sentiment towards the alleged actions of the arrested individuals.

On April 27th, Nigerian authorities released an announcement on social media stating that 792 suspected fraudsters had been arrested, including 148 Chinese nationals!

When did Africa become a "new base" for fraud gangs? And why are there so many Chinese involved?

This large-scale Nigerian fraud case reportedly began last year. In December 2024, the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched a surprise operation.

The EFCC is Nigeria's law enforcement agency dedicated to combating economic and financial crimes, including fraud, which is rampant in Nigeria.

Last year, the EFCC suddenly inspected the Grand Maison Building on Victoria Island in Lagos. On the surface, this building appeared to be a normal office building, with no outward signs of being a fraud center.

However, the people working inside were allegedly all involved in fraud, and the building was equipped with various sophisticated electronic devices. The operation within the building was reportedly well-organized, with different roles and tasks assigned to different personnel.

Nigerian police reportedly found over four thousand mobile phones, over a thousand laptop computers, over three thousand SIM cards, and over four hundred refrigerators in the building, along with over five hundred bunk beds!

While the other items might be understandable, the refrigerators are peculiar. It turns out the refrigerators were used to store the proceeds of the fraud, preserved at low temperatures. These fraudsters apparently went to great lengths for money, as no one would expect money to be hidden in refrigerators.

As for the over five hundred bunk beds, these were allegedly the "dormitories" for the fraudsters. There were reportedly no holidays while working here, with operations running 24 hours a day, so many people lived in the building, which served as both a company and a "dormitory" for the fraudsters.

The over three thousand SIM cards were reportedly used to contact victims. This staggering number suggests how many people had already been scammed and how many others were being lured into potential scams.

According to the EFCC's investigation, the fraud group included 192 foreigners, of which 148 were Chinese, 40 were Filipinos, 2 were Kazakhs, 1 was Pakistani, and 1 was Indonesian.

The EFCC also stated that these foreigners were the masterminds behind the fraud ring, with the Chinese, being the largest foreign contingent, identified as the principal offenders who controlled all aspects of the scam, including the personnel.

To facilitate the fraud, the foreigners reportedly provided various scripts and training to the Nigerians. Especially since this fraud group primarily used romance scams, the training involved men pretending to be women in online chats.

After the training, these individuals would carry out the scams, primarily targeting people in countries like the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They would connect through various foreign social media platforms, with the fraudsters searching online daily for high-quality and financially well-off men as potential targets.

Once a man took the bait, the fraudsters would use their scripts to carry out the scam. However, online dating often involves sending photos and videos, so to overcome this issue, the fraud group reportedly hired many computer experts to help create fake photos and videos.

During video calls, even if the scammer was a rough-looking man, the person on the other end would see the attractive woman from the photos, completely unaware that they were being deceived.

Due to the large scope and numerous personnel involved in the fraud ring, Nigeria reportedly stated that these international fraudsters were exploiting Nigeria's reputation for scams. However, the EFCC seemed to portray the Chinese as the main culprits. Yet, among the 792 suspects, while 148 were Chinese, 600 were Nigerians. It seems unrealistic that the Chinese could control 600 Nigerians.

The root cause of all this lies in Nigeria's lax management, and Nigeria's "Yahoo Boys" also have a notorious global reputation. The EFCC is well aware that Nigeria's name has long been tarnished by the "Yahoo Boys"!

In 2000, a large number of young Nigerians began using "Yahoo Free Mail" for scams. Even in those early days of the internet, Nigeria saw the emergence of fraud, with Nigerians reportedly responsible for one-fifth of global scams, primarily using "Yahoo Free Mail." Thus, Nigerian fraudsters became known as "Yahoo Boys."

Despite the Nigerian government's efforts to arrest the "Yahoo Boys," they have never been able to completely eradicate them. People are arrested today, but new individuals become "Yahoo Boys" tomorrow.

Legal loopholes, regulatory oversights, police corruption, and other factors contribute to the continuous stream of Nigerian fraudsters. Countless victims worldwide have been ruined by the "Yahoo Boys."

Even after "Yahoo Free Mail" became less viable, the "Yahoo Boys" continued to scam using other methods. In 2022, a 17-year-old American boy was reportedly scammed after believing he had found true love online and was willing to send money and even take nude photos for his online love interest.

However, this money and the nude photos were just tools for the fraudsters, who then used the photos to pressure the victim into constantly sending more money. Under this pressure, the 17-year-old American boy committed suicide.

There was also the case of a 58-year-old Swedish woman who had been living alone since her divorce. Online, she met a man who truly understood her. After a long period of communication, the Swedish woman fell in love with the fraudster.

Once the fraudster saw that the "fish" was hooked, they began to ask for money step by step. The Swedish woman realized something was wrong after multiple wire transfers, but it was too late; she had already been scammed out of a significant amount of money.

These are all the actions of the "Yahoo Boys," indicating that there are many fraud gangs in Nigeria, and the Nigerian government needs to seriously and diligently manage and supervise fraud to prevent such incidents from happening again.

For all of us, it is crucial to be vigilant against fraud. Do not think that you will not be targeted by fraudsters, and do not believe that you are immune to scams. Be careful, extremely careful, with anything online.