By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has pledged to investigate an alleged internet fraud syndicate operating in Abuja following revelations by a US-based YouTuber known as NanoBaiter.

The suspected fraudsters are accused of impersonating popular content creators, including MrBeast, Airrack and NanoBaiter himself, to deceive victims who had previously lost money to online scams. The suspects allegedly offered fake fund-recovery services, exploiting victims’ desperation to retrieve their stolen money.

NanoBaiter, who specialises in exposing online scammers, tech-support fraudsters and recovery scams, disclosed the alleged operation in a series of posts and a video documentary published on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.

According to the YouTuber, the suspected fraudsters monitored comment sections under online videos where people shared their experiences of being scammed. They allegedly contacted vulnerable individuals and directed them to Telegram accounts, where they offered to help recover their lost funds for a fee.

He further alleged that the group promoted and sold software designed to facilitate fund recovery, using the identities of well-known content creators to gain the trust of potential victims.

NanoBaiter said he had submitted evidence gathered during his investigation to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

However, the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told Sunday PUNCH that he could not immediately confirm whether the agency had formally received a complaint concerning the allegations.

He assured the public that the EFCC would investigate the matter if it had been reported, adding that the commission would not limit its inquiry to the findings presented by the YouTuber.

“If they have reported the matter to us, as they claim in that video, you can be very sure that we are going to investigate the matter even beyond what they may have uncovered,” Oyewale said.

He added that the agency remained committed to tackling cybercrime, regardless of whether the particular allegations had already been submitted to it.

Oyewale described internet fraud as a serious offence capable of causing significant economic damage and undermining Nigeria’s international reputation. He warned against treating cybercrime as a minor offence or dismissing those involved as merely young people engaging in online activities.

According to him, the consequences of such crimes extend beyond individual victims and could affect the country’s economic interests and standing internationally.

Narrating how he uncovered the suspected operation, NanoBaiter said his investigation began while reviewing comments on videos where people sought assistance after being defrauded.

He alleged that he eventually encountered individuals who attempted to scam him. Rather than ending the interaction, he said he investigated their activities and worked to gain access to information on a suspect’s computer.

According to the YouTuber, this process provided him with access to files, photographs and webcam footage that he believed could help identify individuals involved in the alleged operation.

He also claimed to have examined Telegram contacts and computer files containing materials that appeared to be connected to previous scams, including images of cash, gift cards and cryptocurrency transactions.

NanoBaiter said he used information associated with the computer’s active Wi-Fi connection, including basic service set identifiers, to narrow down the suspected operators’ location to Abuja.

He further alleged that the information obtained during the investigation showed individuals attempting to complete identity-verification procedures connected to cryptocurrency transactions.

The YouTuber said his team created a website that led the suspected fraudsters to believe they could claim Bitcoin. According to him, the individuals were required to verify their identities to complete the supposed withdrawal, allowing his team to obtain footage that could help identify people allegedly connected to the operation.

NanoBaiter also claimed that the findings suggested gift cards obtained through fraudulent activities were being converted into cryptocurrency through an over-the-counter exchange arrangement. He alleged that the process was used to move the proceeds of the suspected scams.

The allegations have not been independently established in the information provided, and it remains unclear whether the EFCC has opened a formal investigation.

In another part of his account, NanoBaiter claimed that he disrupted an attempted fraud worth approximately $13,000 during a live webcam confrontation with one of the suspected operators.

He alleged that the individuals were attempting to obtain thousands of dollars through gift cards but did not realise that he had been monitoring their activities for about a month.

The YouTuber identified one of the alleged suspects as Kemi, whom he said his team discovered while examining comments under one of its videos.

During the confrontation, a voice believed to belong to one of the suspected fraudsters could be heard instructing NanoBaiter not to redeem a gift card. Instead, the individual allegedly asked him to send the gift card code directly.

NanoBaiter said he repeatedly redeemed the codes rather than following the instructions, claiming that the action prevented the suspected fraudster from obtaining the expected proceeds.

The incident formed part of the evidence he presented in describing how the alleged operation worked and how his team attempted to disrupt it.

The EFCC’s response suggests that the allegations could face further scrutiny if formally brought before the commission. Any findings, however, will depend on the outcome of an official investigation and the verification of the evidence presented.