11 Filipinos along with 4 other Asians were convicted by a Nigerian court for online scams and cyber-terrorism, according to a report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The group also includes two Chinese, a Malaysian, and an Indonesian.
The accused pleaded guilty and were sentenced to one year's imprisonment and a fine of one million naira each, which is equivalent to approximately ₱37,000. According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, they were part of a syndicate that used the internet to commit fraud.
The group is accused of recruiting Nigerian youths for use in identity theft and online impersonation. This is usually done by the so-called "Yahoo Boys", who are known for online scams.
The Nigerian government has seized all electronic devices seized from the suspects. This is part of the country's broader campaign against foreign cybercrime syndicates.
The scams reportedly target victims from America, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Nigerian authorities are continuing their efforts to crack down on this type of online fraud.
