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2328 Victims in 54 Countries Loss Billions to Nigerian Scammers- FireEye

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FireEye, a renowned security vendor has opened a lid on a new group of 419 scammers using keyloggers and other malware to divert potentially millions of dollars in payments from over 2000 victims worldwide.

The new report, An Inside Look into the World of Nigerian Scammers, according to InfoSecurity Magazine, reveals the work of a small group of at least four cyber-criminals living in Nigeria.

They all share the same C&C server and the MWI exploit kit to create malicious documents that infect victims with keyloggers like HawkEye and KeyBase.

According to the report, although the group’s victims number 2328 in 54 countries thus far, the majority are in Asian countries including India (45%), Indonesia (19%), Vietnam (17%), Malaysia (4%) and China (3%).

This is because they appear more credible to non-native English speakers, who are less likely to spot their own grammatical mistakes.

The group also chooses its victims according to those countries where it already has bank accounts or can easily transfer money into said accounts, and victims using free webmail accounts – “which might indicate that the user is not technically savvy or is a small business.”

Lacking technical skills to mount attacks on their own, the scammers search for help on the dark net, FireEye explained:

“To obtain exploits, crypters, infostealers and remote access tools (RATS), they access forums to inquire and search for malicious software…We have observed several instances of the scammers interacting with tool providers. As these interactions show, the scammers are heavily reliant on third-party malicious tool developers to create and maintain their tools. They rely on these third-party tool providers to furnish them with documentation or tutorials on the tools, to create stealthy exploits, and to troubleshoot issues.”

Having infected their victims, the scammers monitor the keylog files for email accounts dealing with purchase transactions.

On spotting such a transaction they’ll log into the victim account and play man-in-the-middle, waiting for the right moment before emailing the buyer to change the payment account details to their own.

They then contact the money mule to alert them about the new transaction.

FireEye observed one single transaction worth $1m.

“We believe that they launder their money through a few strategies such as buying gold and luxury items, or mixing the money they have obtained through these scams with money collected legitimately,” the report explained.

To mitigate the risk of attack, FireEye recommended small business owners use two-factor authentication for sensitive online accounts, never open attachments in unsolicited emails, and contact the buyer directly via phone to validate transaction details.

It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to business transactions and email addresses, it added.

 


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EFCC Seals Anti-Corruption Alliance with Anambra Security Chiefs, Traditional Rulers

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In a strategic drive to bolster inter-agency and institutional synergy against economic and financial crimes, the Anambra Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched courtesy visits and awareness campaigns targeting key law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, and traditional institutions in Anambra State.

EFCC Seals Anti-Corruption Alliance with Anambra Security Chiefs, Traditional Rulers

On March 5, 2026, Acting Zonal Director ACE I Ofen-Imu Atiba Sunday led a delegation to: State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), C. Anukposi; State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akachia Godwin; State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Umerah Timothy Nwanegbo; State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bridget Asekhauno; State Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Onubogu Charles Orakwue; and His Majesty, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, Eze Iweka III (Eze Ogalagidi), Eze Obosi and Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Council, along with his cabinet.

The Acting Zonal Director stressed that combating corruption demands sustained cooperation among institutions and community leaders to boost intelligence gathering, prevention strategies, and enforcement. “Collaborative efforts among stakeholders, including community leaders, are essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic stability and future,” he declared.

Highlighting crime trends in the Directorate’s jurisdiction—covering Anambra and Imo States—Sunday noted that public sector corruption, land and property fraud, tax fraud, advance fee fraud, cybercrime, bank fraud, and open market abuses dominate.

Responses were uniformly positive. DSS State Director Anukposi pledged robust support, underscoring intelligence sharing and joint operations to counter threats to national security and economic stability.

NSCDC Commandant Godwin lauded the EFCC’s proactive stance, citing ongoing collaboration on illegal bunkering, vandalism of public assets, and oil theft.

NIS Comptroller Nwanegbo affirmed readiness to partner on border control, migration monitoring, and intelligence against transnational financial crimes.

FRSC Sector Commander Asekhauno hailed the EFCC’s push for accountability, urging use of the Corps’ database and sustained rule-of-law partnerships for national development.

NDLEA Commandant Orakwue committed to tackling criminal networks linking drug trafficking, money laundering, and economic crimes.

At the Eze Obosi’s palace, the monarch welcomed the EFCC’s outreach, decried corruption’s toll on communities, and vowed Traditional Council backing to instill ethics and integrity. He promised to rally other leaders for grassroots anti-corruption sensitization.


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NCDC Issues Public Advisory on Cerebrospinal Meningitis

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Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a Public Health advisory on the spread of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).

NCDC Issues Public Advisory on Cerebrospinal Meningitis

It said that the caution is particularly for states within the African Meningitis belt.

In a statement by the Corporate Communications Division of NCDC urged all Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures.

The statement said: “As Nigeria continues through the peak dry season months, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) alerts the public to the ongoing risk of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), particularly in states within the African meningitis belt.

“Cerebrospinal meningitis occurs more frequently between December and April, when dry, dusty conditions, overcrowding, and poor ventilation increase the risk of transmission.

“The NCDC urges all Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures. Surveillance and response activities remain ongoing nationwide, and laboratory testing is being conducted at the state level while national laboratory capacity is being strengthened.

It explained that Cerebrospinal meningitis is a serious infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

According to NCDC the affliction is most commonly caused by bacteria, particularly Neisseria meningitidis.

“Bacterial meningitis can progress rapidly and may be fatal within hours if untreated.

“However, early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment significantly improve survival and reduce complications. CSM spreads through respiratory droplets during close contact, especially in overcrowded or poorly ventilated environments.”

It said that symptoms to watch out for include sudden high fever, severe headache, and neck stiffness.

It said other symptoms may include: nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion or altered consciousness and seizures.

For In infants and young children, NCDC said the symptoms could bulging soft spot on the head.

The Centre said that early recognition and treatment can save lives.


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Report finds the Number of Trojan Banker Attacks on Smartphones Increased by 56% in 2025

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According to a Kaspersky report “Mobile malware evolution,” the number of Trojan banker attacks on Android smartphones increased by 56% in 2025 compared to the previous year*.

This type of malware is designed to steal user credentials for online banking, e-payment services and credit card systems. Cybercriminals commonly distribute Trojan bankers through messaging apps, as well as through malicious webpages.

The number of new Trojan banker installation packages for Android (unique APK files) also increased sharply, reaching 255,090 packages – a 271% increase over 2024. This may indicate that these tools generate substantial profit for cybercriminals.

Kaspersky experts believe threat actors will continue both to expand delivery channels and develop new Trojan variants trying to evade detection by security solutions. Among all detected Trojan bankers, the leading families were Mamont and Creduz.

“Although Trojan bankers for smartphones are the fastest-growing type of malware, we also observed another important trend: preinstalled backdoors such as Triada and Keenadu appeared more frequently compared to previous years. People purchase completely new, but infected, Android devices and may be unaware of the threat.

Once integrated into the firmware fully functional preinstalled backdoors provide attackers with unlimited control over the victims’ smartphones and tablets. As a result, all information on infected devices can be compromised.

It’s quite difficult to remove such malware. If the device is infected, we recommend users check for firmware updates. After the update, run a scan of the device with a security solution again to make sure newly installed firmware is not infected,” comments Anton Kivva, malware analyst team lead at Kaspersky.

 


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