The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Saturday, cautioned Nigerians against impostors defrauding people with families abroad in a new scam method.
According to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the scammers are impersonating the agency’s personnel.
The scammers, he said, are making calls to unsuspecting citizens to inform them of the arrest of their relatives caught with illicit drugs upon arrival at international airports in Nigeria.
He added that after sending the family members into panic, the fraudsters would demand millions of naira to facilitate the release of such persons from NDLEA custody
“We have thwarted a number of such bids in the past when the family members called the Agency’s official contacts for help or clarification.
“At the moment, there is one of such scenario the Agency has just investigated.
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“In this case, the picture of a Nigerian man based in the US is being circulated with an audio of a purported NDLEA officer negotiating the payment of N5 million with a female relative for the release of the US-based Nigerian man purportedly arrested at the Lagos airport on Friday 22nd March upon his arrival with a contraband.
“Just like in previous instances, our investigation has also shown that the current incident is the work of scammers.
“No NDLEA officer is involved in the audio conversation and the person whose photo is attached to the audio recording being circulated is not in our custody at MMIA or any of our Commands either as at yesterday or any other day.
“The family members involved in this case are advised not to part with their hard-earned money to scammers,” the statement read.
Babafemi however cautioned Nigerians with loved ones abroad to keep discussions of travel plans of their relatives to themselves.
