Twenty-seven-year-old suspected SIM card hacker, Ayoola Olalekan, was arrested by the Osun State Police Command and paraded alongside a robbery syndicate. Following interrogation by the police, Ayoola, who had been parading himself as a hip-hop artiste admitted being a hacker who withdraws money from his victims’ bank accounts using their SIM cards and bank verification numbers (BVN). In an interview with TOBA ADEDEJI, he explains how he goes about his operations.
- Says even my parents know I’m a Yahoo Boy
- Relives how he pilfers money from other people’s accounts with SIM card, BVN
What is your name?
My name is Ayoola Olalekan. I am a hip-hop artiste. I am 27 years old and I reside in Ibadan.
What is your educational qualification?
I dropped out when I was in Senior Secondary School, SS 2. My father took another wife who was not treating me well, so I ran away from home. I then went to Lagos where I was taught how to hack into people’s SIM cards and transfer money from their bank accounts.
How many songs have you produced as a hip-hop artiste?
I have produced four songs, and I can sing them all for you now.
Why did you venture into hacking into peoples’ bank accounts and withdrawing their money?
At a point, I went to learn aluminium job, but I left the job to start this ‘Wire Wire job’ and it was paying me well. I got lots of money from the hacking job.
Who taught you the job?
I was introduced to the job in Mushin, Lagos. My master is now in Dubai.
Why were you arrested with an armed robbery gang?
There was a boy called Samuel. I didn’t know that he was into robbery. He called me one day that there was an iPhone 6X I needed to hack the SIM card. I went to meet him at Toll Gate in Ibadan. He told me that the phone had been with him for more than five days; that I needed to hack the SIM and transfer the money from the bank accounts of the owner.
I checked the phone but I could not find any contact and the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of the victim. I logged into the iCloud account, but I could not find any clue to hack the bank account until I loggef into the email address of the phone owner where I saw the BVN. I input the BVN in my hacking software and saw the person’s name, date of birth and address. I registered the account and I started transferring his money from his bank accounts.
Why was it so difficult for the police to track and arrest you?
I am so accurate and I don’t make mistakes. When I got an alert SIM that I need to withdraw money from, I will open another fictitious account using the BVN of my previous victim, then I transfer money into the account for withdrawal. Any time the police want to arrest me, they will arrest the owner of the BVN of my previous victim.
How many times have you done this?
Countless times. I have seen lots of money.
Which year did you start hacking into people’s alert SIMs?
I can’t remember.
What was the highest amount of money you transferred at a go since you started the job?
Five hundred thousand naira. But I have realised lots of money with the hacking of alert SIMs.
Is it possible to hack into people’s accounts without having their ATM cards once you have their SIM cards?
Yes! I check the social media to check for their date of birth. Based on the information gathered, I guess the login details.
How were you arrested?
The police had been trailing and tracking me for a long time, but I shuted between Ibadan and Abeokuta and this made it difficult for them to arrest me. They then arrested someone very close to me; the Disk Jockey (DJ) who was helping me to produce my songs. I was arrested in Ibadan.
Is there an incantation or a charm you do to aid your operation?
No! I only go to pastors and alfas (Muslim clerics) to pray. I go to mosques and churches to pray for God’s mercy before I start hacking into my victims’ bank accounts to withdraw their money. I have never done a charm in a herbalist’s house. I don’t have an incision on my body.
It is not easy to get money. I never did any charm for the purpose of hacking into people’s accounts.
If I go to a church and a mosque and the cleric asks me for my requests from God, I tell them that all I need is God’s mercy. I have faith in God’s mercy.
Does your parent know that you are into hacking people’s bank accounts?
No. But they know that I am a Yahoo boy. They all know that I am into internet fraud. I am not an armed robber.
What do you use the money you withdraw from your victim’s bank accounts for?ADVERTISEMENT
I pay house rent, studio charge for my hip-hop tracks, buy clothes, get foodstuffs and manage myself.
What is the title of the song you have produced?
Won ni awa go (they say we are stupid) and Omo Ijoba (Government’ child).
How do you get the inspiration for your songs?
After I swindle people, I do have inspiration to sing.
