Crime

Victim Recounts Tragedy: How Yahoo Boys Scammed Family, Caused Mother’s Death

A heartbroken individual, identified as Ifeanyichukwu, recently shared a harrowing account of how internet fraudsters, commonly known as "Yahoo boys," devastated his family, leading to his mother's untimely death. Reacting to a social media post that downplayed the harm caused by these fraudsters, Ifeanyichukwu recounted that his mother, shortly after her retirement, was scammed out of her retirement funds. The emotional and financial strain from this incident caused her to suffer a stroke. Although she survived the initial stroke, she experienced subsequent ones that eventually led to her passing.

 

The family's misfortunes didn't end there. In January, Ifeanyichukwu's father became a victim of fraud when his ATM card was stolen after getting stuck in a bank's ATM. Before he could report the issue inside the bank, fraudsters had already withdrawn ₦1.4 million using a Point of Sale (POS) system. This incident rekindled painful memories of his mother's demise, causing further distress to the family.

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These distressing experiences underscore the profound and personal impact of cybercrime on victims and their families. They highlight the urgent need for increased awareness, stricter enforcement against cybercriminal activities, and better protective measures for vulnerable individuals to prevent such tragedies in the future.