Scammers are now exploiting the alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria as a bait to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
Below are stories of some people who are victim of this scammers.
Read it here.
I’ve never felt this vulnerable all my life! I was preparing for work early in the morning when this call came in. The man, who introduced himself as Ibrahim Aminu (08180332846), had read one of our health tips and wanted to know how his fat wife could lose weight.
He forwarded his email address (info@arikair.com) so I could send any relevant write-up/links to him. Immediately after the first text message, another one came in, asking me to forward three names and phone numbers of anyone in need of job to him between the 9am call and 11am.
They were also to call him. Well, with an Arik Air email and another call from him informing me that Arik was recruiting massively following mass resignations, it wasn’t too hard to believe that he was simply being nice. I sent three names, two of them my husband’s nephews and one young girl in the church. Aminu called to say two of the candidates had OND and were therefore unqualified, leaving him with one of my brothers in-law. He called about four times to affirm the urgency.
After each call, I followed up with calls to my in-law. Applicants normally get free round-trip tickets to venue of the interview in Abuja, but this time, free tickets had been expended and my in-law would have to buy his tickets to Abuja, to be reimbursed after everything. We gave him N60k for tickets and incidentals, to be repaid later. The calls and instructions from Aminu became intense but reassuringly gentle.
He would also give the applicant a contact to call when he reaches Abuja, etc. But, I started feeling uneasy about the unsolicited kindness and the intensity of the calls and instructions. I called my in-law to know the account details he was to pay the ticket fare to: GTBank, Mrs. Agbo H. Agabi, A/c number 0110002720 (Head, Ticketing & Reservations Arik Airline) Lagos.
Of course, the young man is no fool, so he was reluctant to pay and he was about calling me when I called him. Well, to the glory of God, my money is back in my bank account and I apologised to the young man for the early morning trauma. Aminu eventually knew that the game was up and has probably gone in search of other victims. Meanwhile, the two official email addresses on Arik website are: arik.refunds@arikair.com and talktous@arikair.com. So sad.
Another Victim
This same Ibrahim Aminu scammed me and my brother's wife # 50,200 each with the same method of Arik Air recruitment as illustrated by the first victim above. In our own case, he came through one of my brother with the idea of wishing him job well done for what they are doing in their ministry. Because my brother work in one of the federal ministries. After the conversation of Ibrahin Aminu and my brother, he sent a message of job vacancies at Arik Air to my brother but apologized that it was erroneously sent to him that he wanted to send it to his uncle. so my brother probe further about the jobs thing he said that the recruitment is ongoing and that if my brother is interested he will give him four (4) slots, that he was the one in charge.
So my brother contacted me and three others for the job slot, then he also sent us the Ibrahim Aminu phone no (08180332846) to call him for necessary details.Surely the Ibrahim Aminu gave us necessary details of what to do with first phone conversation like an interview. He spoke calmly with unassuming but instructive and emphatic voice. All instructions were followed to the letter like a dolard. Though the trust we had was because my brother who did not tell earlier that he did not know the Ibrahim Aminu and that he only called him that day for the first time.
This Ibrahim Aminu told me if l can be able to make it to the airport before 3:00pm that Thursday with all necessary documents to travel with others to Lagos from Abuja for Medicals and interview and then come back the following day for training. Then it was about 12:00 noon. Later he called me that ticket is no more available that l should go buy a two ways ticket though that all expenses will be refunded. On my way to the Cyber cafe to book for ticket, he called me to tell me that tell that time is running against me that l should locate any GTB bank that when l get there l should call him to tell me what to do. l called him as l got to the bank then he told me that he will send me account details of head of ticketing to me so that she will reserve a ticket for me. He said l should write my name and phone no on the deposit slip. Account details: GTBank, Mrs. Agbo H. Agabi, A/c number 0110002720 (Head, Ticketing & Reservations Arik Airline) Abuja
Throughout all this scenarios l never knew l was not the only one involved until l got to the airport. After the payment l called him that the money is paid, then he said go back to the bank and tell them to post the money now in order for the woman to see it and prepare my ticket for me. But l notice after the payment he was not concern about the 3:00pm again. He even told me to wait at the bank that one lady Hassan Aisha is coming from Jos that he will want me to help her do her own payment. He said the lady's father gave her #70,000 but she was unable to book her ticket but he thinking if l could help her to pay if l still have some money with me. then he later called me around to 4pm to be on my way to the airport.
l got to the airport and l called him that am there, then he said l will call you back give me some minutes. l waited for more than 30minutes and l called him he did not pick. After several calls but not picking, l decided to go to Arik Air location for inquiry and l was told no bear Ibrahim Aminu or Mrs Agbo H. Agabi, and that they have alot of issues like this happening often. l was still at the airport when one of my brother and his wife called me to ask me where l mine and l told them at the airport, then they said they were on there way. l was shocked to know that they too were scammed for same thing. l just like a dummy at the airport looking for something that never existed.
This is my story
Caution: Dont just trust any information you get from people you trust, probe further to get the truth and use your instint.
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