Internet Fraudsters: Landlords Could Face 15 Years in Prison-EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intends to pursue landlords who rent out their properties to internet fraudsters known as ‘Yahoo boys’.

The anti-graft agency will host a discussion on Twitter Spaces on Wednesday to educate citizens.

The Legal and Prosecution Officers of the EFCC will speak at the tenth edition of EFCC Connect.

The topic of the chat, ‘Give your house to Yahoo boys, spend 15 years in jail,’ elicited social media reactions.

The EFCC had repeatedly warned commercial property owners against making their properties available to fraudsters.

The Abdulrasheed Bawa-led agency met with hotel owners in Ilorin, Kwara’s capital, earlier this month.

Michael Nzekwe, Zonal Commander, expressed concern about “cold complicity by hospitality entrepreneurs.”

Nzekwe accused some of them of collaborating with suspected fraudsters by housing them for an extended period of time and providing internet access.

According to the official, such conduct violates Section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

“The section provides for a prison term of five to fifteen years without the option of a fine for any person who allows his premises to be used for any offence under the Act,” he explained.

Nzekwe explained that the law does not recognize the position of hoteliers as business people who cannot determine who a fraudster is.

The EFCC advised them to always request identification from their customers and to include their occupation during the check-in process.