Segun Atanda/
Fraudsters are getting more inventive in online business transactions, police authorities have warned members of the public.
According to a crime alert from Zone ‘2’ police headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, criminals have devised new ways of defrauding people selling or buying cars and other items through transactions initiated online.
As one of his policing initiatives that incorporate prevention measures, AIG Adeyinka Bode Adeleke mni, who is in charge of Lagos and Ogun states (Zone ‘2’), issued a statement today raising public awareness on “illicit and fraudulent manner through which criminals operate and their modus operandi”.
The statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer at Zone ‘2’ Command, SP Hauwa Idris Adamu, reads: “This is to inform the general public, especially businessmen and women on the illicit and fraudulent manner through which criminals operate and their modus operandi, Series of petitions have been received by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos that fraudsters now sought buyers and sellers who deal in purchase and sales of cars and other valuable items on Jiji.ng.com.
“The criminals will contact prospective sellers who advertise such cars/items on Jiji.ng.com acting like genuine buyers by indicating interest in such cars/items, while they make inquiries about such car/items after which they display same car/item for sales on the same platform. They act like genuine sellers to their prospective victims and give such cars/items at cheaper price in order to entice their prospective victims with the information from the original owners.
“They, then supply necessary information about the cars/item to the prospective victim and lure them into making payment; they would then arrange how the prospective victim and the real owners of such cars/items would meet for inspection/delivery; giving the owner/seller the impression that payment would be made upon satisfaction of the car/items.
“When it has been confirmed that cars/items have been inspected/delivered to the prospective victim, the fraudster, then goes incommunicado while the owner/seller will be having issues with prospective victim who already made payment to the fraudsters.
“Based on the above, the Command is sending this to the general public as awareness; so, no one will be a victim of the antics of fraudsters who pretend as online sellers. The Command is hereby passing a very strict warning to all criminally minded groups or individuals to relocate from the Zone as they will not find it easy operating within the Zonal Command.”
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