The United States government has announced its commitment to intensify efforts in tackling international scammers targeting its citizens. This decision follows a recent case where a US-based company was defrauded of N8 billion (approximately $10.3 million), with some of the funds being transferred to various countries, including Nigeria.
According to a statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, swift intervention by US authorities successfully prevented a significant portion of the stolen funds from being transferred out of the country. The statement detailed that scammers had used a spoofed email to deceive the company into making payments to a series of pre-arranged accounts.
The funds were then partially moved to cryptocurrency wallets and international banks, beyond the reach of US law enforcement. However, approximately $5,315,746, which was held in seven domestic banks, was successfully seized with government approval.
The US government has expressed a strong interest in addressing the increasing number of fraud cases involving foreigners exploiting American citizens. It has urged victims to report such cases to a dedicated agency for investigation. The main fraud schemes being targeted include cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and business email compromise fraud.
Acting US Attorney Joshua Levy emphasized the importance of reporting cybercrime incidents through the government’s dedicated website. He stated, “We hope today’s action helps restore some level of stability and justice for those impacted by fraud.”
In related news, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed in a recent Abuja meeting that banks in Nigeria lost over N8 billion to internet fraud in 2022.
