After they taught me how to hack, I started Bumbing (collecting money from white People) –Suspect

After they taught me how to hack, I started Bumbing (collecting money from white People) –Suspect

According to Independent Nigeria, An Islamic cleric identified as Gbolahan has shared his experience of being lured by a friend to join a training centre called ‘Hustle Kingdom’ in Delta State. The centre, controlled by a group of internet fraudsters commonly known as "Yahoo Boys," operated as a hub for cybercrime activities. Gbolahan revealed that he had been deceived into joining the centre under the guise of learning Bitcoin and forex trading but soon discovered it was a front for internet fraud.

Last week, Gbolahan was among 123 suspected fraudsters arrested during a raid carried out by soldiers from the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army. The raid took place at the Army Estate in Effurun, Delta State. Following their arrest, the suspects were handed over to the Ekpan Police Divisional Headquarters in Uvwie Local Government Area for further investigation. The individuals, aged between 17 and 25, were part of a notorious cybercrime syndicate known as "HK" (Hustle Kingdom), which had been operating as a training school for internet fraudsters.

Reports indicate that many of the young men involved in the "HK" syndicate were lured with promises of financial gain through cryptocurrency trading, only to find themselves involved in fraudulent schemes. Gbolahan, who had initially sought financial help from a friend to pursue his Islamic education in Egypt, found himself trapped in the world of cybercrime. His request for assistance turned into a nightmare when he was introduced to the unlawful activities conducted at the training centre.

The cleric explained that his refusal to fully participate in the illegal activities almost cost him his life. He claimed that his life was threatened, forcing him to cooperate with the syndicate. During his time at the centre, Gbolahan was taught various methods of internet fraud, including hacking and romance scams. He described how the group used social media to lure unsuspecting victims, particularly foreigners, into fake online relationships for financial gain.

In a video shared online by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Gbolahan explained that once they established contact with their victims, they would engage in fraudulent schemes. These scams often involved pretending to be in financial distress and convincing their victims to send money. He mentioned that his life had been significantly impacted, as he had been cut off from his relatives for nearly nine months while involved in the syndicate’s operations.

He said: “After they taught me how to hack, I started ‘bumbing’. The bumbing is that they will give us the page where all those white people are, so we would be commenting on their section that they should add us. That we love their posts and everything they share. After they add us, we will put them for relationship that we love them. After that, we will now bill them that we are in serious problems that they should help us.”