Miss Sanders: EFCC recovered her money lost to scammers

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received commendations from two Americans for the recovery of their monies from online scammers, a statement said.

The statement, issued by EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren in Lagos on Thursday, said the agency recovered 23,886 dollars for Jolanta Kasza, an American based in New York and 2,000 dollars for Margaret Sanders.

It said Sanders, who lives in Sherman, Texas, commended EFCC after she was presented a cheque for the sum she was duped by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI.

“She expressed delight at the professionalism demonstrated by the Nigerian agency in helping to recover the money which she thought she had lost to the scammer.

“The FBI agent, who made the presentation, lauded the cooperation with the EFCC, while explaining that the FBI only facilitated the repatriation of the money after it was recovered by the EFCC.

“Sanders met a suspected Nigerian fraudster, Benjamin Akugbe, online and fell in love with him.

“The scammer who claimed to be Benny Brown from Warri, Delta State, promised her marriage and requested for the sum of 2000 dollars to enable him join her in the U.S.

“The money was wired to him through Western Union, into an account with the name, Gladys Ikpoba domiciled with a new generation bank.

“After an endless wait for the fiancé, Sanders came to the sad realisation that she had been duped. But her efforts to recover the money were unsuccessful until she petitioned the EFCC,” the statement said.

The statement said the latest recovery of 23,886 dollars was made in similar circumstances, for Jolanta Kasza, an American based in New York.

“She was fleeced of 64,000 dollars by a suspected Nigerian Fraudster, Ndekwu Jindu (aka Dr. Daniel Coffman ) in a romance scam.

“Kasza allegedly met Coffman online in June 2012, and the fraudster introduced himself as self-employed Caucasian pharmacist.

“Impressed by the profile, Kasza “fell in love” with both agreeing to get married.

“According to her, in the course of the affair, the suspect at different times requested for money under various guise.

“Before she realised that she was dealing with a con artist, she had lost 64,000 dollars to the fraudster.

“She consequently petitioned the EFCC, which through discreet investigation recovered 23,886,’’ the statement said.

It added that the agency was in the process of repatriating the fund to the victim.