On the evening of Wednesday, August 5, 2015, I went to change some dollars at the popular Alade market on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. Just some minutes before 7pm we drove into the plaza. Most of the shops were locked and we have a few numbers of foreign currency sellers/Bureau De Change operators (mostly Northerners) there.

At the entrance to the western gate of the plaza were some guys who were a mix of northerners and Southerners. As we approach the gate to get into the plaza, they rushed at our car and asked if we want to change dollar which we answered in the affirmative. They told us the exchange rate and we agreed to the transaction. The Yoruba guys agreed to sell at a higher rate than the Hausa guys. So we settled for the Yoruba guys’ rate. The Yoruba guy then asked us to drive away from the gate so we can carry out the transaction without blocking those entering the plaza. We moved forward to about 2 metres and packed. Then came the Yoruba guy to the side of the car and made to give us the money. Our agreement was N235 to a dollar and we gave him $100 which made the Naira equivalent to be N23,500.

To prevent being scammed, I handed over the $100 bill, we are to change, to my driver, while the Yoruba guy handed out some Naira cash to me (he had two guys beside him). As I was counting the money for correctness, he asked my driver to give him the $100 bill to check if it is original or fake, and since I have the Naira equivalent in my hand, I did not object. After I finished counting I observed that he gave me N23,000 instead of N23,500 but he said he gave me N24,000. He requested I give him the Naira to recount and confirm the correctness I obliged, since I was so sure of what I had counted, I handed him the cash. He recounted it and confirmed it was N23,000 (15 pieces of N1,000 and 16 pieces of N500). He added the balance of N500 and handed the money back to me. Unknown to me, he had stylishly removed 12pieces of N1000 from the money (maybe he dropped them on the road, since we are in the car and he was by the car door or he handed it to one of his accomplices).
Before he handed us the money, one of the guys that followed him, an Ibo man was on me begging me to release the N500 balance to him and go with the N23,000. I did not answer him. I thought within myself that why would I give you N500 when you are the one selling the Naira to me. This guy was so much on me that I was begging him to let it be that I need the money and that was the reason for coming there that late (they normally close their offices at 6pm).

When the Yoruba guy returned the cash to me with the balance added, the Ibo guy charged at our door and was begging profusely that we should give him the N500, thereby not allowing me to count the money. He was so much on us that I was flabbergasted, I did not know it was a ploy to allow the other two to escape with their loot while diverting our attention. We quickly made to leave and as the car was driving out of the plaza to the main road, the Ibo guy ran after us. We eventually rolled up the glass and as I took the cash to count, I felt it was lighter than before, and I quickly counted it and found that 12 pieces of N1000 i.e. N12,000 has been taken away from the money, leaving me with N11,500 (it would have been N11,000 if I had given the Ibo guy N500 as he requested).

We quickly turned and went to where we left them 2 minutes earlier but none of the three guys were anywhere to be found. They have disappeared! We packed our car and searched for them but to no avail. We asked the Hausa guys there if they know their identity, they said ‘No’. We searched all around the plaza and asked around for them but ‘no show.’

We left that day saddened. From the feelers I have there, it seems that the Yoruba and Ibo guys live around the area, and that they engage in this scam/fraud in the evening period. They operate outside the gate and at the entrance to Alade Market plaza and Airport Hotel in Ikeja. So, be careful when next you want to change that dollar or pound sterling.

I will like to call on the appropriate security agents to go and fish these guys out and prevent innocent citizens from falling victims/preys of their scams and fraud.

My advice to everyone who buys or sells foreign currency:

If you want to change dollar or Pound sterling;

1. Go to appropriate places where legal and operational Bureau De Change is/are located.
2. Look for a bureau de change shop or office and go in, don’t transact at the entrance.
3. Meet the owner of the business/shop, not the surrogate/boy/mallam/loafers.
4. State the reason for your visit and agree on the exchange rate first
5. Allow them to give you the cash equivalent of your agreed sum before you hand over your cash. This is to avoid fake money or lost
money.
6. If you come with a car, don’t transact business through the windows of your car, come down and do the business.
7. Check the correctness of your money before leaving the premise.
8. Have a dedicated customer whom you transact with every time.
9. Do business with a ‘mallam’ first before any other tribe. This is my suggestion though.

Good luck to you all!

very true . bank process is the ideal way but the process is too long dts why we settle for blackmarket dealers . ..FTC again .. i dedicate this space to Albert Einstein and my research on the Einstein-Rosen bridge ..and all other crazy scientists out there

How pathetic!
I learnt from this thank You.
Kai! Lagos Lagos

Nawa o,,,u even get luck say dem give u change sef cus usually dey wud just exchange it with fakes

you weren't defrauded. .....you were out smarted......

if it's me I will
talk to them___dont give them the money
negotiate___dont give them the money
count my money___dont give them the money
check for fakes___dont give them the money
mix it with other notes to make sure it dosent disappear__dont give them the money
enter the taxi___dont give them the money
give the driver the money to count___dont give them the money

if even possible spend the money they gave you___dont give them the money
they can't cheat me

Lady f is below me!!!Jesus
my level has changed

Chai...quite painful

It's [size=20pt]LadyF[/size] again

Wat could be worse dan a yoruba nd ibo man, coming 2geder for a swipe. Chai........[color=][/color]

yellow bars shaa...

Yoruba and igbo collaboration.

Op I have some questions for you



How long have you stayed in lasgidi because you yan like a jjc





Lastly it seems this is the first time you ever changed a foreign currency in your life.


Only a jjc will respond the way you did


Even the Hausa men that denied the identity of those guys are lying involve the police and arrest then and see the truth come out asap

"I'm about to read this article, Lord see me through". Quote me anywhere.

Abokiis scamming people like their daural hero

oga ooo

I bn wan go dere go change my biafran dollars to naira o!

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Very soon their cup will fill up. I assure you. pele @op

Sijo01:
Abokiis scamming people like their daural hero

Your brain needs to be reformated

Pls stick with Northerners when changing money.

Lol Sorry Bro

Kpele.
You just have to be smarter next time.

you forgot you are in Nigeria

Nawaooo

na today

bunmioguns:




Grow some balls boy

She is actually a girl.

Sijo01:
Abokiis scamming people like their daural hero

But the OP clearly stated that He was scammed by an allied group of Yoruba and Ibo boys.

lol, , beautiful people checkout www.galvinggrey..com.ng

bunmioguns:




Grow some balls boy

Boy indeed! Go enroll for a basic class, son. Since you didn't know what 'm & f' stands for.

Northerners are actually more honest in this type of dealings. You should have transacted with them.