afrol News, 25 November - Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has began the trial of a 23 year-old Internet fraudster, Okoro Osagie Victor, accused of allegedly defrauding foreigners $96 607 through the Internet.

Mr Victor, a University dropout and former student in chemical engineering in Igbinedion University, was nabbed in Benin City, Nigeria, following a petition by MoneyGram International on 23 October.

Media reports said the suspicion was triggered by a communication with one of Mr Victor’s victims who told Money-Gram that she met the fraudster over the Internet and that she has been sending him money because he claims that he wanted to set up a business.

Reports further suggest that Mr Victor is an alleged serial marriage scammer who has been deceiving his victims by posing as Jerry Finger, a white expatriate working in Nigeria.

Last month, EFCC cracked its whip on cyber fraudsters when it clamp down about 800 scam email addresses and nabbed 18 people high profile syndicates who specialise in cyber crime.

The crack down was to get tough on internet fraudsters through an initiative tagged “project eagle claw”, expected to fight cyber fraud.

While Nigeria remains in the top 10 countries on corruption, cyber crime has remained a big challenge to the West African's security agencies despite efforts made in recent years to counter it.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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