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back to article Nigerian airline ticket fraudster gets 8 years

A West African fraudster has been jailed for more than eight years over his role in an airline ticket scam following his extradition to the US back in June. Ademola Ismaila Adegoke, 43, a Nigerian-born resident of Accra, Ghana, was jailed for 102 months on Friday after he was convicted of using stolen credit card numbers to …

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  1. The Indomitable Gall

    Hmmm....

    "Ademola Ismaila Adegoke, 43, a Nigerian-born resident of Accra, Ghana, was jailed for 102 months on Friday after he was convicted of using stolen credit card numbers to steal more than $400,000 from US citizens. Adegoke, who agreed to pay $696,026 in restitution, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in July."

    Surely agreeing to pay that much restitution lines him up to be done for further fraud? I seriously doubt he got the extra 300K by any more legitimate means than the 400K involved in the case....

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  2. JaitcH
    FAIL

    Greedy travel agents part of the problem

    Travel agents should be well versed in the ways of the fraud artists, especially since card issuers routinely issue debit notes (charges reversals) up to 4 to 6 months from when the CREDIT CARD APPROVAL was ISSUED.

    No sane travel agent would accept a CNP (Customer Not Present) ticket charge unless they had personal knowledge of the customer and a signed Letter of Authorisation from the client.

    I routinely acquire tickets on the road from my favourite travel agent but the so called e-ticket is only issued to one e-mail address and only after a rigid series of messages through designated systems have been completed.

    Another ruse used by fraud artists is to come in just before closing and order a long-haul ticket. The sucker agent skips all the checking protocols and then is surprised when the card issuer issues a charge reversal.

    The rules are simple: No tickets from one remote destination to another that isn't your own airport; no CNP charges; never sell long-haul to unknown people within 60 minutes of closing; never accept anything except the real credit card; use and publicise closed circuit TV in the travel agents store; require a thumb print from ticket purchaser. Scammers will never agree to this.

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    1. voshkin
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      Thumb Down

      Thumbprint? really?

      Thumb print? *I* would never agree to that! no one asked yet, but when they do, I will take my business elsewhere

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      1. JaitcH
        Reply Icon
        Happy

        Better to lose a small commission than a big debit note

        Now you get the principle. Only people unknown to a travel agent would be asked to do this.

        An alternative is to provide a desk, carefully framed within a camera range, and have the un known client complete the transaction at this desk. These characters are technologically smart and are aware of precautions people take.

        (The camera works, a client agency caught several fraud artists, when I was active in the travel business. Following a client out the door, ostensibly to get a coffee, also lets you see how they depart - foot, taxi or car.)

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    2. Christopher W
      Reply Icon
      Paris Hilton

      In a perfect world, sure

      However my boss paid for plane tickets for two other people to Canada and back on the company debit card - he wasn't a traveller nor was he mentioned anywhere on the travel documents.

      In fact, I gave the nice lady at Co-op Travel the card details. Third hand card details? Nice. I think I passed the phone to the boss for two minutes so he could verify his address but that was about it. What can they ask in terms of verification? They have no prior knowledge of him. I suspect most over-the-phone travel operators will do exactly the same thing, the whole system is rife with loopholes for potential fraud and CNP transations will continue to be a major source of revenue as long as the balance of liability isn't too harsh on the payee. Accepted losses?

      Paris, because her credit card says Daddy Hilton on it

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      1. JaitcH
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        They might have info you are not privvy to.

        Take a look at: <http://www.emscard.com/uploads/Documents/E-commerce/CNP%20Card%20Acceptance%20Operating%20Guide%20-06-07-08.pdf >.

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  3. Mike Bell

    @AC 16:17

    Those post thumbs-down are either originating in Lagos... or come from people who are seriously unaware of recent UK benefits outrages.

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