Twenty-six-year-old Ayoola Olalekan, who was recently paraded as a suspected cyber fraudster by the Osun State Police Command, explains what it takes to hack into a victim’s bank account.
What is your name and how old are you?
My name is Ayoola Olalekan. I am a 26-year-old indigene of Oyo State from Oyo town.
What led to your arrest?
I was arrested for SIM card hacking. I used software to withdraw money from my victim’s bank account.
How do you hack into people’s accounts?
I use software to do it. I can hack into any bank account in Nigeria if I get hold of a SIM card on which a bank customer receives bank alerts.
For how long have you been doing this?
I have been doing it for over a year now.
What is your level of education?
I dropped out of secondary school. I left while I was in Senior Secondary School 2 because I could no longer cope with the rigour of education. Education was too hard for me.
Did your parents support your decision to stop going to school?
No. I just told my parents, one day, that I was no longer interested in education. My younger brother and I dropped out of school at the same time.
Did you start hacking into bank accounts immediately you dropped out of school?
No; I first learnt aluminium work.
Who introduced you to hacking?
I got to know about it through friends but I am now an expert and I can hack into any (bank) account. When I expressed my desire to learn Yahoo-Yahoo (Internet fraud), I was taken to Sagamu in Ogun State. It was there that I learnt how to hack SIM cards.
How long did it take you to master it?
I mastered it within the space of two months. I mastered it very fast and now I have those I train, and one of them is my younger brother, who was also arrested.
How much have you made so far from hacking into bank accounts?
I have not made much money. I haven’t bought a car or built a house yet. I still live in a rented apartment. My life only improved a little after I began hacking. The biggest money I made at once was N500, 000.
How do you spend the money you make from hacking?
I buy things for myself; I also try to help poor relations. I visit nightclubs and spend (money) on girls. I am not married but I have a girlfriend.
Did your girlfriend know the kind of work you do?
Yes, she knew and she did not object to it. I was trying to survive.
How long does it take you to hack into a bank account?
It takes only five minutes maximum to complete the SIM hacking process and get the money cleared off my victim’s account.
To hack, I will just dial a software code on my victim’s SIM card, the BVN and other details he used while opening the bank account will be revealed. Once I have all that, the rest is easy.
Apart from hacking, what other things do you do?
Aside hacking, I am a pop singer. I use the name Lord 99 and to my credit, I have recorded about six singles which are even accessible online for downloading.
If you are freed, will you still engage in Yahoo-Yahoo?
No, I will face my music career. I engaged in Yahoo-Yahoo because the money I was making in music was not enough for me. The biggest amount I made once in a show was N7, 000. While in detention, I still got inspiration for new songs and I have noted it. If I am freed, I will do songs to discourage people from engaging in Yahoo-Yahoo.
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