Have you ever been a victim of online fraud and you let it go as you didn’t know how to retrieve your money from the scammers? It is a painful experie
Have you ever been a victim of online fraud and you let it go as you didn’t know how to retrieve your money from the scammers? It is a painful experience regardless of the amount lost.
I have, to a fraudster masquerading as a fashion accessory seller. This is despite being very careful.
With the advent of the internet which has ushered in a growing number of online businesses offering various goods and services in Nigeria, it is almost certain that fraudulent individuals would want to take advantage of this and defraud unsuspecting shoppers.
With my own case, I tried pleading with the fraudster to refund my money. When that didn’t work, I resorted to making threats. That also didn’t work until I took these steps outlined below:
- Screenshot all previous chats across all messaging app, that is, IG, WhatsApp or Facebook.
2. Write out the Full name and account number of the page or person.
3. Go to the last notification your bank sent you after you made the payment either via mobile app or text.
4. Go to the last notification your bank sent you after you made the payment either via mobile app or text and copy out the transaction ID number.
5. Go to any branch of the fraudster’s bank, the one through which you made the payment and ask to see the customer service in charge of fraud.
6. If you can, print out all those chats with the scammer, and submit it. While you are there, send an email to the fraudster’s bank and copy CBN Fraud Desk (anticorruptionunit@cenbank.org). This will prompt the bank to take it up fast.
After doing these, the fraudster’s account will be ‘placed on hold’. What this means is that the scammers won’t be able to transfer or withdraw money until the pay a visit to the bank. When they do, the bank will contact the police and the suspect when proven guilty will sign a waiver allowing the bank to refund your money.
