Police Arrest Suspect Over ₦5.7 Million Facebook Marketplace Fraud, Recover Funds
As online shopping continues to gain popularity, law enforcement agencies are intensifying efforts to tackle cybercriminals who exploit social media platforms to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a 27-year-old suspect, Aliyu Muhammed, over an alleged ₦5.7 million online fraud involving the sale of household items through Facebook.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a petition by a university lecturer in Akwa Ibom State who claimed he was defrauded after responding to advertisements on a Facebook page known as “SHOPHOUSEHOLDITEMS”.
Investigations revealed that the victim was persuaded to continue negotiations via WhatsApp and subsequently transferred a total of ₦5.7 million into several fintech bank accounts for the purchase of household goods.
However, after receiving the payments, the seller allegedly failed to deliver the items, blocked the complainant and abandoned the Facebook page.
The NPF-NCCC, working with technical intelligence tools and in collaboration with Meta Inc., traced the account used to operate the fraudulent page to Katsina State, where the suspect was arrested.
Police authorities confirmed that the entire sum of money has been recovered, while investigations are ongoing to uncover possible accomplices and related offences.
The Inspector-General of Police, , reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating cybercrime and protecting citizens from online fraud.
He also advised members of the public to exercise caution when conducting transactions on social media platforms, verify the identity of sellers, and avoid making substantial payments to unverified accounts before inspecting goods.
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