2 Nigerians Busted For 419

The suspects, Peter & John showing in handcuffs

Two Nigerians, John Ugboma, 39, and Peter Efeimaya, 45, who live at Coco Beach, Nungua in Accra, have been arrested by officers from the Documentation and Visa Fraud Section of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters for  impersonating the USA Ambassador in an internet fraud case.

The two, according to the Director General CID, DCOP Prosper Agblor, posed as the US Ambassador in Ghana and sent electronic messages to people mainly American citizens through the internet.

However, the two unfortunately sent a copy of their fraudulent e-letters to the inbox of the US Ambassador who they were impersonating.

Luck however eluded the two and they were arrested at their hideouts at Nungua.

The CID boss said Peter and John tried to convince unsuspecting victims that a $4.5 Million dollar account in their names has been discovered and the account was lodged with a Security Company in the country.

The two used such stories to demand various sums of money ranging between $1,500 and $15, 000 from their victims, claiming that they could use their position as the US Ambassador in Ghana to influence the Ghanaian authorities to release the amount allegedly lodged with the Security Company to them.

But one of the recipients of their e-mails happened to be the US Ambassador himself.

The envoy immediately reported the matter to the CID Headquarters, who launched investigation into the matter leading to the arrest of the two.

The police boss used the opportunity to advise the general public to be mindful of fraudsters, who use the internet to defraud unsuspecting victims.

He further called on the public to cooperate with the police to fight against cyber fraud by informing the police about suspicious characters in the society in order to clamp down on their activities.

By Rocklyn Antonio