As the incidence of impersonation among Nigerian entertainers continues to rise, actor Bolanle Ninalowo is the latest to be affected by the activities of fraudsters.
In 2023, operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrested the duo of Charles Osaigbovo and Evans Obayaedo, who impersonated Nigerian actor and movie producer, Fredrick Leonard, for their alleged involvement in a love scam and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of £38,000.
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That same year, 23-year-old Kelvin Enofe was arrested for impersonating Nollywood actor Ik Ogbonna and allegedly defrauding a United States-based woman of $70,000.
The latest in this string of identity theft scams appears to be actor Bolanle Ninalowo.
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Incidentally, the actor has previously drawn the attention of social media users to his authentic TikTok account, noting that other accounts using his name are scams.
Identity theft
In a recent development, Olamide Oyetayo & Co has petitioned the EFCC against Mr Bolanle Azeez for impersonation, obtaining money by false pretence, and cyber fraud to the tune of N33m.
The firm is acting as Solicitors to Mrs Victoria Yemisi Ayano.
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According to the petition, sometime in July 2024, Ms Ayano was contacted on TikTok by an individual who falsely presented himself as the popular Nigerian actor Bolanle Ninalowo.
“The Suspect, later identified as Mr. Bolanle Azeez, engaged our client in online communications. During which he deceived her with various misrepresentations and solicited funds under the guise of personal and business-related assistance.
“Trusting these representations, Our Client transferred funds in tranches to the Suspect’s designated bank accounts, totalling the sum of N33,000,000 (Thirty-Three Million Naira),” the petition reads.
Upon discovering that she had been defrauded, Ms Ayano reportedly confronted the suspect, who admitted neither guilt nor made any attempt to refund the money.
“He has since cut off communication and remains at large. We have documentary evidence, including WhatsApp messages and bank transfer receipts, which establishes the fraudulent schemes by Mr. Bolanle Azeez,” the statement reads in part.
Reacting to the incident, the actor, who shared a part of the petition on his Instagram page, said that the movie industry he is a part of has not paid him such a lofty sum of money.
He wrote, “This one loud ooo!! N33,000,000.00 for wetin? Lawyer seff go stee collect hin service fee join!
“Which kine juju be dis naaa! Haa!! Even the Nollywood wey blow me never pay me N33M per film.”
More scam alert
Days before, the divorced father of two shared a screenshot of an email he received from a lady who goes by the name Rhonda Wright.
In the mail, the person called him a “Scam Master”, accusing him of scamming her to the tune of $5,000 over the course of two years.
“You are crying about losing funds with Instagram because of my truthful comments about your romance scamming. You have left me no choice but to report you to every media outlet in Nigeria and America, and the 5000 dollars you scammed from me is just enough for the FBI to consider it a felony.
“I have receipts for every dollar taken, and I have enough pictures, emails, screenshots and checks (cheques), not to mention the bank transactions, turning it all in this morning, to my attorney who specialises in international scams and fraud. King Daddy Nino, oh, I mean Bolanle Ninalowo, your 2+years of romance scamming me is over,” the email reads.
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According to the actor, having realised that she has been defrauded, the lady in question does her due diligence to find his real Instagram page and email address and has been threatening him.
“I really hope you and many others who fall victim to these impersonators wake up.
“Note: if anyone on this God’s own earth is in a current or about to initiate an online relationship with any one of the many supposed me’s, you are being scammed or are about to,” he wrote.
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