Daniel Olamiposi, a Lekki-based photographer, has detailed how a group of fraudsters running Dope Purple Party House, a Party-House-For-Hire agency in Lekki, Lagos State, defrauded him of N205,000.

The photographer also alleged that the same set of fraudsters tried to clone his WhatsApp.

Olamiposi told FIJ that on April 8, he contacted Dope Purple Party House to rent a venue for a birthday hangout he was planning. The photographer said he was then ‘tricked’ into making an initial payment of N185,000 for the venue.

The photographer said he never got to meet any member of the agency physically during the period he transacted with them.

When he eventually visited the address for inspection, he was told that the place was no longer used for that purpose.

“While searching for party houses in Lekki online I came, across Dope Purple Party House,” Olamiposi said.

“When you search for party houses in Lekki online, their page pops up first. They appeared legitimate and I settled for the venue.

“When I communicated with the supposed owner of the building, one Adegoke, he referred me to Lukman Bello, the supposed agent.

“During our interaction, Bello made it appear as though someone else also wanted the address and pressured me to into making an advance payment of N185,000. I hurriedly made a transfer to the Wema Bank account of Joy Ekpoma, the secretary,” he said.

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The photographer said he later went to the address to inspect the venue but was told by the security guard he met that the place was no longer used as a party house.

“The guard told me that the building was now being occupied by a production company,” said Olamiposi.

PAY ANOTHER N50,000

The photographer said he went back to the agent to tell him about what he saw at the building.

“When I told Bello about the situation, the agent said he would give me another address but I needed to pay an additional N50,000 as caution and agent fee,” he said.

“They still did not give me the address. When I contacted Ekpoma, she said I ought to pay N50,000 as caution and agent fee, just like Bello said. I paid N20,000 out of the money.

Despite paying N20,000 out of the additional N50,000 fee the agent requested for, he still was not sent the address to the new venue.

YOUR MONEY IS GONE

“When I suspected a foul play, I visited Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), where I have my account, at Admiralty Way, Lekki,” he said.

“It was while I was making enquiries about my transactions with the Party House agents that the customer care representative told me in Yoruba that my money was gone and there was nothing she could do.

“Surprisingly, these fraudsters have not blocked me or barred my line. This made me give them the benefit of doubt. But I realised that they just wanted me to keep sending them money.”

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Olamiposi further told FIJ that the fraudsters also wanted to clone his WhatsApp.

“On April 11, Ekpoma called, saying that they wanted to refund me. They said I would receive a code and that I should send it back to them once I receive it,” he said.

“When the code came in, I instantly knew she was trying to clone my WhatsApp.

“I called and asked why she was trying to clone my WhatsApp, after taking my money. She was rude like she had always been and ended the call.”

When FIJ asked if he informed Adegoke, the supposed landlord, about the situation, he said:

“He also encouraged me to listen to Ekpoma and Bello and make the payments. He later stopped responding to my calls and messages.”

FIJ CALLS ADEGOKE

When FIJ made a call to Adegoke to inquire about Party House fees, he identified himself as Bayo Johnson.

“My name is Bayo Johnson. I run Dope Purple Party House and it is N206,000. You don’t need to pay any caution fee. Let me know when you need it so I can link you with the agent,” Bayo Johnson said.

When he was asked about Olamiposi’s accusation, Johnson said he owned two party houses in Lekki and the building Olamiposi visited was under renovation.

“I bought it in February and maintained the use of the property as a party house,” he said.

FIJ contacted Bello and Ekpoma but their lines were switched off. Text messages sent to their lines were also not responded to at press time.