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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'I was victim of Nigeria football conmen' | 'I was victim of Nigeria football conmen' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An undercover BBC investigation has exposed how young African footballers are being conned out of thousands of dollars. Gavin Lee explains how Isaiah Akpan fell victim to a Nigerian scam. | An undercover BBC investigation has exposed how young African footballers are being conned out of thousands of dollars. Gavin Lee explains how Isaiah Akpan fell victim to a Nigerian scam. |
| They said that I would have to go for a trial in Singapore in Asia. Then after two three months they would transfer me to UK Isaiah Akpan | They said that I would have to go for a trial in Singapore in Asia. Then after two three months they would transfer me to UK Isaiah Akpan |
| "The memory of that incident always kind of shocks me," says Isaiah Akpan. | "The memory of that incident always kind of shocks me," says Isaiah Akpan. |
| He shakes his head as he recalls the gamble he took in the hope of achieving his dream of football stardom in the richest league in the world, the English Premiership. | He shakes his head as he recalls the gamble he took in the hope of achieving his dream of football stardom in the richest league in the world, the English Premiership. |
| Instead of taking the first step to sporting fame and fortune, he fell victim to conmen who left him penniless - stranded and alone in a foreign country. | Instead of taking the first step to sporting fame and fortune, he fell victim to conmen who left him penniless - stranded and alone in a foreign country. |
| The Nigerian 18-year-old lives in Apapa, a northern district of Lagos. Home is a small tin roof shack, where he and his two brothers share one bed. | The Nigerian 18-year-old lives in Apapa, a northern district of Lagos. Home is a small tin roof shack, where he and his two brothers share one bed. |
| It is a world away from the millionaire lifestyles of the Premiership stars, whose pictures decorate the walls. | It is a world away from the millionaire lifestyles of the Premiership stars, whose pictures decorate the walls. |
| Mr Akpan, like thousands of soccer-mad African teenagers, puts his details on sports networking websites. | Mr Akpan, like thousands of soccer-mad African teenagers, puts his details on sports networking websites. |
| Players as young as 12 post their pictures, e-mail addresses, phone numbers - even scans of pages from their passport. | Players as young as 12 post their pictures, e-mail addresses, phone numbers - even scans of pages from their passport. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Nigerian star Kanu gives his advice to African footballers who want to play in Europe | Nigerian star Kanu gives his advice to African footballers who want to play in Europe |
| The hope is that just maybe this will attract the attention of somebody with connections who will help them get a deal with an English club. | The hope is that just maybe this will attract the attention of somebody with connections who will help them get a deal with an English club. |
| "Why most of us want agents is because they can help us; telling us what the clubs are all about and getting better clubs of my choice. Most of these agents, they are linked to clubs in Europe," he says. | "Why most of us want agents is because they can help us; telling us what the clubs are all about and getting better clubs of my choice. Most of these agents, they are linked to clubs in Europe," he says. |
| What Mr Akpan and many other amateur hopefuls do not realise is that under British immigration rules, it would be impossible for them to get a work permit. | What Mr Akpan and many other amateur hopefuls do not realise is that under British immigration rules, it would be impossible for them to get a work permit. |
| They would not qualify as they have not yet played several games for their own national teams. | They would not qualify as they have not yet played several games for their own national teams. |
| Many also appear to be unaware that no English club would ask for money from a player they are thinking of signing. | Many also appear to be unaware that no English club would ask for money from a player they are thinking of signing. |
| And it is this sort of naivety which is now being exploited by crooks. | And it is this sort of naivety which is now being exploited by crooks. |
| Stranded | Stranded |
| So it was not long before Mr Akpan was e-mailed by two men who said they were football agents. | So it was not long before Mr Akpan was e-mailed by two men who said they were football agents. |
| They men claimed to be so impressed with his online posting that they could arrange him a trial to play for an English team. But at a price. | They men claimed to be so impressed with his online posting that they could arrange him a trial to play for an English team. But at a price. |
| Many youngsters dream of becoming the next Kanu or Emmanuel Adebayor | Many youngsters dream of becoming the next Kanu or Emmanuel Adebayor |
| "They promised a club but did not mention the specific name of the club," he recalls. | "They promised a club but did not mention the specific name of the club," he recalls. |
| "They said that I would have to go for a trial in Singapore in Asia. Then after two three months they would transfer me to UK." | "They said that I would have to go for a trial in Singapore in Asia. Then after two three months they would transfer me to UK." |
| Mr Akpan was told that as a formality, he would first have to pay a $500 (£250) registration fee. | Mr Akpan was told that as a formality, he would first have to pay a $500 (£250) registration fee. |
| He borrowed the money, the equivalent of a month's wages, from his father. | He borrowed the money, the equivalent of a month's wages, from his father. |
| He then flew, as instructed, with the cash to the Ghanaian capital, Accra. | He then flew, as instructed, with the cash to the Ghanaian capital, Accra. |
| There, the two football agents were supposed to meet him at the airport and put him on a plane to his trial. | There, the two football agents were supposed to meet him at the airport and put him on a plane to his trial. |
| But, after Mr Akpan handed over the money, the men disappeared. | But, after Mr Akpan handed over the money, the men disappeared. |
| He was left stranded and alone in a foreign country with no money to get home. | He was left stranded and alone in a foreign country with no money to get home. |
| "I was thinking how will I get back to Nigeria, I even could not pay back the taxi man," he says. | "I was thinking how will I get back to Nigeria, I even could not pay back the taxi man," he says. |
| "I had to sleep at the international airport that night because there was nobody to go to, nobody to help me, nobody even wanted to believe the story." | "I had to sleep at the international airport that night because there was nobody to go to, nobody to help me, nobody even wanted to believe the story." |
| To me $500, from a poor home, is big money Isaiah Akpan | To me $500, from a poor home, is big money Isaiah Akpan |
| After spending three days living rough, Mr Akpan managed to borrow the fare home. | After spending three days living rough, Mr Akpan managed to borrow the fare home. |
| When he did return, he said he was initially too ashamed to tell his father that he had been conned. | When he did return, he said he was initially too ashamed to tell his father that he had been conned. |
| "To me $500, from a poor home, is big money. It was a very bad experience." | "To me $500, from a poor home, is big money. It was a very bad experience." |
| The conmen used the same techniques as the so-called "419" fraudsters, which usually target businessmen. | The conmen used the same techniques as the so-called "419" fraudsters, which usually target businessmen. |
| They are asked to pay considerable sums of money up-front, on the understanding of sharing millions of dollars of ill-gotten gains, which never materialise. | They are asked to pay considerable sums of money up-front, on the understanding of sharing millions of dollars of ill-gotten gains, which never materialise. |
| The victim is lured abroad before being parted from his or her money, to make it more difficult for the police to conduct investigations. | The victim is lured abroad before being parted from his or her money, to make it more difficult for the police to conduct investigations. |
| But despite his mistakes, Mr Akpan continues to advertise online in the hope that next time the offer of help will be genuine. | But despite his mistakes, Mr Akpan continues to advertise online in the hope that next time the offer of help will be genuine. |
| "I always dream of playing in England. But I know time waits for nobody," he says. | "I always dream of playing in England. But I know time waits for nobody," he says. |
| "That incident has not stopped me. I will keep on showing my details on the websites. Though I will be much more careful." | "That incident has not stopped me. I will keep on showing my details on the websites. Though I will be much more careful." |
| You can hear more about this story in a special documentary on href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/morning.shtml">Victoria Derbyshire's show on BBC Five Live at 0900BST on 15 July. BBC World Service listeners can hear it on href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/assignment.shtml">Assignment on 17 July. |