Arrested in Nigeria over romance scam targeting Malta resident
Investigations ongoing, as police search for third suspect
A mother and daughter were arrested in Nigeria in connection with an alleged romance scam which saw a Malta-based victim duped out of around €11,000.
Urowhe Diana, 39, and her 22-year-old daughter, Rokibat Oluwasheyi Imoru, were arrested by the Nigerian police this week, according to a statement by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.
The police are continuing to hunt for a third suspect, Diana’s husband, Emmanuel Amanfo, who is accused of working with Imoru, his stepdaughter, to operate several bank accounts used for fraudulent transactions as part of the alleged scam.
The Nigerian authorities said funds from the alleged fraud were transferred to Nigerian bank accounts owned by Imoru via international money transfer services, before being moved into a bank account owned by her mother.
The name of the Malta resident was withheld by the Nigerian authorities, who said that investigations were ongoing.
Romance scams are a type of financial fraud where a scammer poses as a romantic partner to deceive their victim into sending money or sharing personal information. Scammers often create fake online profiles using images of other people or, increasingly in recent years, images and videos generated by artificial intelligence, including so-called ‘deepfakes’, which use AI-powered technology to doctor footage of real people.
37 reports of romance scams totalling €1 million
Between 2019 and 2023, the police received 37 reports of romance scams totalling just under €1 million, with the type of fraud increasing in prevalence over the years.
One woman told Times of Malta in 2023 that she had been defrauded out of more than €75,000 after falling victim to a romance scam.
Sharing her story to raise awareness about the danger of romance scams, she said: “I really wanted this to be true, so I did let my guard down. I let him in under the radar.”
In recent years, the Malta Police Force has issued public warnings about romance scams close to Valentine’s Day, including listing ‘red flags’ to watch out for.
An online romantic interest expressing “deep love” very early on, avoiding video calls or in-person meetings, claiming to be in a difficult situation and requiring money urgently, making excuses when asked for proof of identity and applying pressure to keep the ‘relationship’ a secret should all be considered warning signs.
Suspicious online profiles can be reported to the police on Crime Stop 119.