Osun Poly student arrested for running fake online store

EFCC detains over 100 undergraduates for cybercrimes
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Office has arrested a suspected internet fraudster, Afolabi Ojo, who allegedly specialised in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public through phony online shopping.

Ojo, a student of the Polytechnic of Iree, Osun State, was arrested following a petition alleging that sometimes in June 2017, while window-shopping on Instagram, the petitioner came across some slippers and shoes on a page “Best Classic Store” purportedly owned by one Kemisola with WhatsApp number 08106802815 displayed on the page.

According to the petitioner, a sum of N53,000 was paid for some items purchased on the online store into an account purportedly owned by one Oyebola Olasunkanmi with account number 0027735703 domiciled in one of the first generation banks.

Strangely however, the suspect not only refused to deliver the goods, but went incommunicado. Hence, he was reported to the EFCC.

When arrested, Ojo confessed to being the one posing as Kemisola on the online platform to deceive people, especially ladies into patronising him.

He said: “I do not have any goods. I only pose as a lady using the name Kemisola with the handle Best Classic Store on Instagram. Some of the items I used to display for sale include female shoes, slippers, handbags and wallets. After I have lured my victim to pay, I will disable them from my chat so that he can no longer reach me.”

Meanwhile, over 100 undergraduates of tertiary institutions across the Southwest states have been detained for various cybercrimes by the Ibadan Zonal office of the EFCC.

While addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday, the commission’s Deputy Zonal Head, Ibadan, Kazeem Oseni, who spoke on behalf of the Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, also disclosed that the suspects were arrested for mainly online love scam, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) fraud and online marketing scams.

Oseni also disclosed that the Ibadan office had recovered around N277.9 million from fraudsters in the past nine months, adding that 50 cases had been instituted against the suspects with 381 others being investigated.

“The commission is attending to 431 cases, among which 50 cases are already in court. In the past nine months, we have arrested 195 individuals in connection with bank fraud, internet fraud, land and general disputes. Among the cases in court are the ones involving the Vice Chancellors of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Federal University of Technology, Akure and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.”

While shedding more light on the number of arrests made by the commission, the Head, Public Affairs of the zone, Mr. Ayo Oyewole, said undergraduates formed larger part of those in custody, adding that some hotels were also seized.