A two-man gang under the guise of being staff members of MTN Nigeria responsible for a fake promo tagged, “2011 Recharge Anniversary” are currently defrauding innocent members of the public, NEXT investigation reveals.
The modus operandi of the fraudsters is to send text messages to unsuspecting subscribers on the MTN network, with false information that such subscriber’s number has won a 25KVA generator set and N35,000 worth of airtime.
As a way of convincing and luring their targets to the bait, the fraudsters release a number to be contacted for further discussions to pave way for the ‘promo winners’ to collect the ghost gifts, while the fake N35,000 airtime would be sent to their phones.
The fraudulent message reads, “Yello, your number has won you a 25KVA generator set and N35,000 airtime. For details call 08035816653.” They thereafter promise their supposed victims delivery of the “won generator set” to their door steps.
However, NEXT attempted to play along with the fraudsters, and uncovered their identities and other mode of operations as fake. In the course of investigations two men were found to be carrying out the illegality.
The arrowhead of the scam is a self-acclaimed Promotion Manager of MTN, who identified himself as Olusegun Williams with telephone number 08035816653 based in Abuja, while his cohort in the shady deal identified himself as John Doherty with telephone number 0803133538 and who claimed to be residing in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Suspecting possible danger ahead for them following further NEXT enquiries, the fraudsters promised to reach back, but hours after and as at the time of this report, they had ceased to respond.
A resident of Abeokuta who narrowly escaped the plot, Femi Shodunke, confirmed in an interview that the scammers attempted to defraud him, but was equally up to the task, as he made effort to get them arrested by the police.
“I call on the police to be alive to their responsibilities by tracking them down and punish them appropriately, as some Nigerians, though the greedy ones, might have fallen into their trap. Too bad that our youths could engage in this type of ungodly act, even if there are no jobs. But they can think of something better for their lives,” Mr. Shodunke said.
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