THE Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Hungarian Police have collaborated to arrest members of an international cyber crime syndicate which specialises in scamming unsuspected people of thousands of United States dollars.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement released late on Monday, May 1, said the leader of the gang was apprehended in Rivers State.
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According to Adejobi, the Police National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC), through the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the Force, received a message on the syndicate’s activities from the Hungary Police on July 15, 2022.
The leader of the syndicate, according to the police spokesperson, is 21-year-old George Gift Ikata.
“The intelligence enumerated the activities of a suspected fraudulent platform called “AMC Stock Experts” and how the said platform had succeeded in defrauding unsuspecting members of the global Cyber Community to the tune of thousands of dollars.
“Upon the receipt of this intelligence, Seasoned Cybercrime Forensic and Intelligence Assets under the supervision of DCP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, the Director NCCC, were deployed on the Case.
“The painstaking effort of the team led to the arrest of one George Gift Ikata, a 21-year-old male indigene of Abua Local Government Area in Rivers State,” Adejobi stated.
The Police spokesperson added that the suspect, Ikata, who resides in the Iwofe area of Rivers State, voluntarily created the platform for fraud.
“While effort has been intensified to apprehend other members and affiliates of this criminal venture, the Inspector-General of Police wishes to urge the entire Cyber community and internet users, in general, to be wary of phantom and unverified investment platforms and schemes,” Adejobi added.
He said that in the eventuality of fraud, members of the public should take advantage of the e-reporting portal of the Police, https://incb.npfgovng, to register their complaints for immediate intervention.
The Police PRO said investigations into the matter continues, and emerging developments will be communicated to members of the public.
A reporter with the ICIR
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