Tobiloba Adeleke, a Lagos resident, has narrated how unknown persons used her stolen phone to obtain unwanted loans totalling N893,000 from Access Bank. The bank wants her to repay N1.25 million.
Adeleke told FIJ that the incident happened between May 22 and 28.
“On my way to work on May 22, my phone got stolen by unknown persons on the newly constructed Yaba bridge,” Adeleke told FIJ in an interview on Friday.
“It actually rained heavily on that day and there was a crowd. The phone was stolen while I was trying to push through people and locate a safe place that could prevent me from getting soaked by the rain.
“As soon as I noticed my phone had been stolen, I borrowed a phone from the person standing next to me in the rain and I called the line while shedding tears. It rang several times but no one answered it.”
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Statement Showing the Loans the Fraudsters Took
Adeleke said she subsequently had her two most active bank accounts, First Bank and OPay, blocked just so that whoever stole her phone wouldn’t have access to the little funds in them.
She, however, did not have her Access Bank account blocked because she had no money in it. That eventually led to a huge financial problem for the Lagos resident.
“My decision not to have my Access Bank account blocked still did not prevent the perpetrators of the act from bringing misery to my life,” Adeleke said.
“Unknown to me, and while I was trying to have my 9mobile line retrieved, the thieves had used my phone to obtain loans four times, using my Access Bank account.
“Unfortunately, that was the only bank account I did not block after my phone was stolen.
READ ALSO: Nigerian in Canada Wants To Unblock His Access Bank Account. They Told Him To Come Back Home
“The individuals borrowed N293,800, N145,600, N239,500 and N214,600 respectively in my name from Access Bank.”
Adeleke went on to tell FIJ that it was after she retrieved her phone number that she realised what had happened.
“I have since visited several Access Bank branches, telling them I knew nothing about the loan, but they have all been giving me the same answer that I would have to look for a way of repaying N1,250,000,” said Adeleke.
“The N1,250,000 is for the loans that were taken in my name and the interests on them.
“I do not even know what to do at the moment. I have also been unable to sleep at night. How do I repay N1,250,000 for a loan I did not take? My salary is also just N74,000. Please, I need help.”
FIJ gathered that some of the loans the fraudsters obtained from Access Bank were transferred to a UBA account 2330360737 belonging to one Rofiat Abike Fatai, and a Smartcash payment service account 9073633190 belonging to one Oluchukwu Igwe.
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When FIJ sent an email regarding the incident to Access Bank’s complaint desk on Friday afternoon, Abayomi Okunola, an official representing the financial institution, issued the following response on Saturday evening:
“We empathise with you concerning the fraudulent transactions. Please be informed that a complaint has been logged on your behalf and you will receive feedback upon conclusion. The issue has also been escalated to the appropriate team.”
When the official’s feedback was relayed to Adeleke, she said, “I have been given a similar response before. That has not changed anything. As far as Access Bank is concerned, I still owe them N1,250,000.”
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