That "Alert" Might Not Be Real: Lessons from the Agbado Scam
Written by BLESSING ABADI IFEOMA
A customer walks in, picks up some items, and shows you a phone screen with a "successful" bank transfer notification. You’re busy, there’s a queue, and it looks professional, so you hand over the goods. However, last week, on the 25th of May, that simple trust cost many people in Ogun State their hard-earned money.
Police in Agbado recently apprehended a 23-year-old suspect, Adeshola Muyiwa, who had been running a serial "fake alert" scam across the Agbado axis. The suspect didn’t just target big businesses; he allegedly started with a simple purchase of food items worth just ₦2,600 at a local junction.
The Scam You Didn’t See Coming
What makes this case so dangerous isn’t the amount, it’s the pattern. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had been running a consistent scheme of fake and scheduled transfers for some time, targeting unsuspecting traders and business owners across multiple communities. By the time he was caught, he allegedly confessed to defrauding victims of approximately ₦10 million.
He didn’t just use one trick; he employed a combination of fake alerts and "scheduled" transfers to make vendors believe that payment was on the way, only for the money to never hit their accounts.
How to Stay Protected
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, has been very clear: don’t let a screenshot be your final proof of payment. To avoid becoming the next victim, keep these three rules in mind:
1. Confirm Before You Release: Always check your actual banking application or account statement to see the credit alert. Do not take the customer’s word for it, no matter how "official" their screenshot looks.
2. Be Sceptical of "Scheduled" Transfers: If a customer claims they’ve "scheduled" a transfer or that their bank is "slow," politely ask them to wait until the credit actually reflects in your account before you hand over your goods.
3. Use Neutral Intermediaries: This is exactly why platforms like Escrow Village exist. Instead of relying on a stranger's screenshot, you can use a secure platform that verifies the funds before you ever have to release your stock.
The police are doing their part to crack down on these crimes, but the best defence is your own vigilance. Don’t let the rush of business make you an easy target. Start your next transaction securely with Escrow Village here
