Nigeria Police, FBI Arrest Mastermind Behind Major Microsoft 365 Phishing Scam
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), working with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service, has arrested three suspects involved in high-level internet fraud in Lagos and Edo States. The suspects are accused of targeting email systems of major corporate organisations across Nigeria, using phishing links and malicious software to gain unauthorized access. Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the arrests followed intelligence from Microsoft and the FBI, which revealed the use of a sophisticated phishing toolkit called RaccoonO365. The toolkit was designed to create fake Microsoft login portals to steal user credentials and infiltrate corporate, financial, and educational email accounts. “Based on actionable intelligence, the NPF–NCCC launched a coordinated operation with Microsoft, the FBI, and the US Secret Service,” Hundeyin said. Investigations showed that between January and September 2025, the suspects sent phishing emails that closely mimicked legitimate Microsoft authentication pages. These attacks led to business email compromises, data breaches, and financial losses across multiple sectors. NPF–NCCC operatives were deployed to Lagos and Edo States, resulting in the arrest of three suspects. Searches of their homes recovered laptops, mobile devices, and other digital tools, all linked to the fraudulent activities following forensic analysis. Further investigations identified Okitipi Samuel, also known as “RaccoonO365” and “Moses Felix,” as the principal suspect and creator of the phishing infrastructure. He allegedly operated a Telegram channel selling phishing links for cryptocurrency and hosted fake login portals on Cloudflare using stolen or fraudulently obtained email credentials. Authorities said the other two suspects had no involvement in developing or running the phishing scheme. The Nigeria Police Force emphasized its commitment to securing the nation’s digital space through advanced technology, international collaboration, and thorough investigative and prosecutorial efforts to combat cybercrime.
