Recently, law enforcement agencies in Nigeria dismantled a large multinational telecommunications fraud hub hidden in Lagos, shocking the international community with the broad scope of the case, the number of people involved, and the complexity of the methods used. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria, the operation resulted in the arrest of 792 people, including 148 Chinese citizens.
The crime scene was located inside an ordinary-looking office building on Victoria Island in Lagos, which was used to organize and implement telecommunications fraud. During the operation, law enforcement officers seized 1596 laptops, thousands of mobile phones, over 400 refrigerators, and hundreds of phone cards and bunk beds among other equipment. The entire building was transformed into a fraud "factory," operating 24 hours a day in three shifts, mainly targeting high-income individuals in Europe, America, and Africa with romance scams.
Investigations revealed that the fraud network used AI face-swapping and voice synthesis technologies to impersonate wealthy individuals or lovers, establishing relationships with victims under the guise of romance before committing financial fraud. The software installed on the computers could real-time alter facial features in video calls, combined with AI voice simulation, making it highly deceptive.
Among the arrested Chinese nationals, some were originally lured to the location with promises of "high-paying tech jobs" but found themselves trapped and controlled by the fraud group after their passports were confiscated upon arrival. They were required to meet a certain quota of scams daily, and failure to meet targets could result in beatings and punishments, with almost no freedom. Some victims admitted that they were initially unaware but were gradually coerced into participating, eventually becoming accomplices.
Furthermore, the investigation also uncovered financial transactions between the criminal group and a gambling organization in Southeast Asia, with some of the 73 properties involved linked to the group. Shockingly, large amounts of cash were found stored in some of the refrigerators. Experts suggest that the fraud group used the sub-zero temperatures of -18°C to attempt to erase biological traces on the money, making it easier to evade tracking and facilitate the transfer of "dirty money" later.
"The technical sophistication and organizational level of this case far exceed previous ones," stated the head of Nigeria's EFCC, "The fraud group is equipped with professional training processes, including courses like 'Introduction to Fraud Psychology,' and only those who pass the exam are 'qualified' to work. They are proficient in scripted speech and social media disguises."
Similar online frauds have a long history in Nigeria, starting from the era of internet proliferation last century with groups known as "Yahoo Boys," who used emails to defraud overseas victims. With the widespread adoption of AI and deepfake technologies, these groups have become more advanced, causing more severe losses.
Data shows that the United States is one of the main victim countries of such romance scams, with the number of victims increasing ninefold from 2000 to 2001, with about 1% of users having been deceived.
The Nigerian police point out that this type of crime is becoming internationalized, with local groups mainly responsible for "scripting and contact," while technical personnel from China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries assist in operating the scam software, forming a complete division of labor in the transnational scam assembly line.
Experts advise the public to remain highly vigilant when making friends online, engaging in online romance, or involving money transactions. Do not trust strangers easily, avoid transferring money casually, and verify the identity of the other party through official channels when dealing with large transfers. Additionally, keep records of chats and calls, and report any suspicious activities promptly to avoid financial losses.
