EFCC arrests fake CBN governor in Uyo

A suspected cyber fraudster (yahoo boy), Onyebuchi Nwalozie Julius, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for impersonating the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

Onyebuchi, a native of Ngor-Okpala in Imo State, who claims to be into estate management, confessed under interrogation that he impersonated Emefiele with email account: emefilegodwin586@yahoo.com and defrauded one Omar Es Sh Deeb.

The suspect, whose specialty is business email compromise, said his modus operandi involves searching for email addresses via Google Search and sending convincing emails to prospective victims.

Onyebuchi was arrested on December 6 in Owerri. At the point of his arrest, a HP Laptop Envy with serial number CND62544TZ; HP Laptop with serial number SCD8022CSF; iPhone X; Nokia phone; ECOWAS International Passport- 55389766; Drivers Licence and a Toyota Venza with registration Number LSR 23 FQ.

An analysis of the HP Envy Laptop revealed quite a number of scam mails sent by Onyebuchi to Deeb, with bogus contract proposals purported to have emanated from CBN, while he posed as CBN governor. Onyebuchi successfully defrauded, Deeb who remitted funds, thinking he was actually dealing with the CBN governor. Though Onyebuchi confessed to have benefited as much as N4.5million from his criminal enterprise, investigation into the scam continues.