HOW TO RETRIEVE YOUR MONEY AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED IN NIGERIA

20% of social media users and shoppers in Nigeria have been scammed at one point or the other, either large bucks or small money and It’s quite painful. Sometimes people fall victims of scam through absolutely no fault of theirs, they might be performing legitimate transactions online and still fall prey, others not so much.

Have you mistakenly or greedily sent 50k to get 100k in 5 minutes and then later realized that you have been scammed? And the scammer even went on to rub your ignorance on your face too? If you still fall for such cheap scam, maybe you need to take a break from the internet.

It is also possible for you to mistakenly send funds to a wrong account, tho rare, it is nevertheless possible. Sending funds to a wrong bank account is different from getting intentionally scammed, you can still get your money back if you fund the wrong account, it is tricky and more difficult but possible.

Getting scammed can leave you feeling ashamed and many people don’t always know what to do in such situations, so today am sharing with you things you do, when you realize a page you paid for a service or goods is ghosting you:

How to report an online scammer in Nigeria:

1. Screenshot all previous chats across all messaging app (Instagram and WhatsApp or Facebook).
2. Write out the Full name and account number of the page or person.
3. Go to the last notification SMS your bank sent you after you made the payment (via mobile app or text) copy out the “TRANSACTION ID NUMBER”.
4. Go to any branch of the scam artist’s bank (the bank the scammer uses), ask to see the CUSTOMER SERVICE in charge of FRAUD.
5. If you can, print out all those chats with the scammer, and submit it.
6. send an email to the SCAMMER’S BANK and copy CBN FRAUD DESK (anticorruptionunit@cbn.gov.ng) this will ginger the bank to take it up fast.

How Banks and the CBN protect the public from scammers

Getting reported to the CBN as a scammer can have devastating consequences for the fraudster given that their fingerprints and other biometric data will be easily reflagged across Nigeria’s financial infrastructure. Once you have good evidence and made a report against a scammer, here are the things that will happen to them:

• The scammer/suspect’s bank account will be PLACED ON HOLD (they won’t be able to withdraw any money from their account).
• Their BVN will be blocked permanently, preventing from opening any account in Nigeria and severely affecting their ability to make any financial transactions in the country.
• No account will ever be opened neither will they be able to transact banking business in that name until they clear themself with the bank.
• Meaning he/she cannot transfer or withdraw until they visit the bank, and 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.

In conclusion, getting scammed by a fraudster is not final and you should not be ashamed. There are steps you can always take to get your money back or at the very least prevent the fraudster from scamming other innocent victims.