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Advanced Fee Fraud: Kano state police deploys Digital platform to fight cybercrime
Zulaiha Danjuma
Hara, a healthcare worker in Kano, fell victim to a sophisticated scam on TikTok.
KANO FOCUS reports that, a scammer, posing as a married woman based in the US, with Saudi Arabian heritage, gained Hara’s trust.
“I was so excited when she sent me a message,” Hara recalled. “She seemed so kind and genuine, and we started talking about our shared interests. I didn’t think twice about trusting her.”
The scammer sent Hara a photo of a laptop, claiming she would send it to her, along with £9,000. Hara was convinced and sent N75,000 to a microfinance bank account to cover supposed shipping costs.
“I felt like I had won the lottery,” Hara said. “I couldn’t wait to receive the laptop and the money.”
However, when Hara realized she had been scammed, she felt devastated.
“I couldn’t sleep for days, thinking about how I had been so foolish,” she said. “I felt ashamed and anxious, wondering how I would pay my bills or provide for my family.”
This scamming technique is known as “Advanced Fee Fraud,” a situation where scammers request money from their victims before an item or goods is delivered to them or service rendered to them.
The prevalence of advanced fee fraud in Kano is alarming, with many cases going unreported.
Notable cases of advanced fee fraud scammers in Kano include Musa Lurwanu-Maje and Aliyu Hussaini.
Musa Lurwanu-Maje’s modus operandi involved creating fake personas on Facebook and WhatsApp, stealing pictures from random social media users and claiming them as his own.
By using these fake profiles, he deceived unsuspecting individuals, ultimately defrauding them.
Another notable example is the case of Aliyu Hussaini, who posed as a textile seller on Facebook.
He deceived a woman who ordered 14 textiles worth N100,000. Instead of delivering the ordered items, Hussaini sent her rags, defrauding her of her money.
In 2023, the Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned a couple for a N410 million advanced fee fraud in Kano state. This high-profile case highlights the growing concern of advanced fee fraud in the region.
How the Police Force is fighting cyber fraud?
The Kano State Police Command has made numerous arrests of such social media related advanced fee fraud cases but wants to take its fight a notch higher.It is leveraging the federal police force’s digital platform that helps to report such crimes for swift action.
The Nigerian Police Force has a dedicated website specifically for reporting fraud and cybercrime.
The website offers users the ability to report online or social media fraud to the police force from the comfort of their phones and electronic devices.
The website is www.specialfraudunit.org.ng is managed by the NPF under its Special Fraud Unit and offers an essential information database for the police to combat cybercrime.
Various security agencies across Nigeria leverage on the information provided by this dedicated website to track perpetrators and support victims.
The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said the outfit is happy with the support it is getting from the said digital portal.
SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa
He said in combating social media advanced fee fraud the police Anti-cyber crime and the anti-money laundering units at the Kano State Bompai Police Headquarters are working closely.
“These offices are enabled with modern equipments for policing activities to combat various issues of cybercrimes” he said
SP Kiyawa said aside intelligence gathering and sharing the officers of the Kano State Command Anti-cyber crime units are constantly receiving specialized training, especially in checkmating and investigating social media and internet related fraud.
“We have constant training at divisional levels, command level as well as in the commands department of criminal investigations. We also have an upcoming training on Artificial intelligence (AI) for officers in order for them to understand the emerging technologies and how to best navigate financial internet fraudsters and their schemes” he explained
The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer added that the command has dedicated hotlines where the public can call in to report social media fraud.
“We leverage social media a lot, we also have engagements with social media influencers who assist the command to trickle down the message for the need of online safety, detection of misinformation, disinformation, Mal information and fake news that can all possibly lead to fraud”
These efforts have yielded a number of public outcry about fraudulent individuals on their social media interactions that resulted in several arrests by the Kano State Police Command.
The Role of digital verification systems
A Financial Crimes and Data science expert, Dr. Umar Yakubu explained further that incorporating biometrics and the use of blockchain on emerging technologies will minimize the occurrence of financial crimes.
Dr. Umar Yakubu
“Biometrics is a great tool that aids security, with the world now moving away from biometric fingerprints to facial and iris biometrics, these are some of the great tools that can be adopted to enhance data security and identity verification.”
“Blockchains are also great tools as they help to enhance transparency thereby tracking transactions and verifying identities too.”
If only Hara had been aware that the photo on the TikTok account, supposedly belonging to a US-based Saudi Arabian woman, was actually a stolen image used by a scammer, she might have avoided the devastating experience of being defrauded.
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has become a crucial tool in combating financial fraud. Its reliable identity verification and transaction monitoring capabilities provide a secure foundation for online interactions, ensuring a safe and trustworthy environment for individuals to engage in financial and social activities.
Engaging social media companies in the fight
According to Dr. Umar Yakubu, social media companies must do more to help fight social media fraud.
“Social media platforms say if someone is below 16 or 18 they can’t sign into their platforms, but in reality, even 10-year-old children are able to open accounts,” Dr. Yakubu said. “This happens because these platforms do not demand proper identification.”
The ability to set up social media accounts without using personal pictures or a real name are among the issues which drive advanced fee fraud on social media, Dr. Yakubu explained.
“Social media offers people the ability to be anonymous, whereby they are able to generate other people’s pictures, use fake names or other people’s names to create fake accounts while posing as those individuals they don’t even know, which makes social media a hotspot for fraudsters.”
To mitigate these issues, Dr. Yakubu explains that the current structure, which is to simply fine social media platforms in cases where their platforms were used for financial fraud, is not enough.
“The penalties these platforms pay are nothing compared to the amount of money they make, so at the end of the day, the penalties are not deterrents enough for them to ensure that people do not have social media accounts until we put up the right and correct identity,” Dr. Yakubu said.
This story is produced under the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Fellowship of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop in partnership with Kano Focus online Newspaper.
Salary Fraud: Governor
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has suspended with immediate effect the Acting Head of Service and Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Salisu Mustapha, over alleged salary deductions and non-payment of some civil servants’ salaries.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, it was confirmed that Salisu Mustapha has also been directed to step aside as Permanent Secretary, Establishment, under the Office of the Head of Service, to allow for an unhindered investigation.
To ensure administrative continuity, the governor has approved the appointment of Malam Umar Muhammad Jalo, the Permanent Secretary, REPA, as the new Acting Head of Service, pending the outcome of the ongoing probe.
Governor Yusuf reaffirmed his zero-tolerance stance on financial malpractice, warning that anyone found guilty will face severe consequences.
The Abdulkadir Abdussalam-led investigative committee, inaugurated today, has been given seven days to uncover the root of the irregularities and submit its findings.
Salisu Mustapha was appointed Acting Head of Service earlier this month following the medical leave granted to the substantive Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa, who is currently receiving treatment in India.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
In a bid to ease transportation challenges for junior staff, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, on Wednesday distributed the second batch of bicycles under the university’s welfare initiative.
KANO FOCUS reports that during the distribution ceremony, Professor Abbas, assisted by the Chairman of the Bicycle Loan Committee, Professor Mahmoud Umar Sani, and other committee members, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to staff welfare. He noted that the initiative aims to provide affordable and sustainable mobility options for staff, enhancing their efficiency at work.
Highlighting the success of the first batch, Professor Abbas commended the beneficiaries for fulfilling their loan repayments. He further announced that loan deductions for the newly distributed bicycles would commence after the Sallah festival, allowing staff to utilize their salaries for Ramadhan fasting and Eid celebrations.
Beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and the university management, describing the initiative as timely, especially given the rising transportation costs. Many pledged to make good use of the bicycles.
A total of 47 bicycles were distributed in this phase, while 100 bicycles were distributed in the first phase.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
In an effort to contain the growing insecurity challenges, the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Dala Area Command in collaboration with the other security agencies in the area Wednesday held a broad meeting to augment the security improvement of the area.
KANO FOCUS reports that the event led by the PCRC Chairman Dala area Command, Suleiman Umar Dala, was distinct by a large attendance of key stakeholders, traditional rulers, community leaders, youth representatives, market associations, local vigilante groups, and representatives from llama’s across the area and beyond.
The guest speakers, including Prof Garba Shehu, Al-Shiehk Ibrahim Khalil, Prof Tijjani Muhammad Nanayi, Dr Ibrahim Musa Kurna spoke extensively about various critical security challenges faced by the community and the steps needed to address them with a view to discouraging youth from engaging in illicit activities for the sustainability of peace.
In their separate comments, the speakers have a common view that security challenges are a collective responsibility of all in society, stressing that justice, fairness, improving youth education and empowerment drive, drug abuse awareness and advocacy are some of the measures that should be focussed by the authorities to curb criminal acts among youth.
The speakers acknowledged the bid of security agencies, vigilant groups and volunteers in the maintenance of peace and order. Still, they emphasized the need for them to strengthen the utmost effort with community leaders and the general public to maintain the unflinching support for the command.
On his part, the Commander Dala Police Area Command ACP Nuhu Muhammad Diggi thanked all the guests and participants, as well as the PCRC Executives led by Hon Suleiman Umar Dala for timely organising stakeholder meeting and fruitful discussion, deliberated upon and decisions adopted during the meeting.
He attributed the prevailing insecurity in certain areas of the state to the lukewarm attitude of some parents and community in general for being sympathetic to perpetrators of social vices, pointing out that dangerous youth groups which at the moment turn out to be trouble makers generally are addiction influence.
ACP Nuhu Muhammad therefore advised all youth to get themselves engaged in meaningful ventures instead of terrorising the people in society, warning that the Police would not rest on its drive in the fight against insecurity until all criminals are brought to book and ensure peace, security of life and property in the area and the state at large.
A statement issued by Abdullahi Othman on Wednesday said the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Dala Area Command drew its members from the metropolitan local government areas which include Fagge, Ungogo, Gwale, Municipal and Dala Local government respectively.
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