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Facebook fraud hits Ghana

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Despite calculated attempts by government and the security agencies to rid the country of various degrees of fraudulent activities especially internet scam, latest intelligence gathered by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service reveal that, ‘Facebook’, which has crept deep into the marrows of Ghanaians, is being used to rob people of their hard earned money. In this regard, however, one Charles Obeng, also know as Kofi Konadu, is frantically wanted by the police for his alleged involvement in document forgery and stealing, to as it were, secure a United States students’ visa for a complainant, whose name is being held by the police for security reasons. Thus, an Accra Circuit Court has issued a warrant for his arrest. Briefing some newsmen at the CID Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the Acting Director-General of CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCOP) Prosper Kwame Agblor, disclosed that in 2009, the suspect, Obeng, retrieved information on the victim from the infamous social media network, Facebook, to ostensibly apply for a USA lottery programme. According to the CID boss, the victim later received messages that she had won the said lottery even though she denied ever taking part in the process. Meanwhile, the prey, who gained admission to pursue a Master of Science (MSc.) programme in Secure Software at the Madison University in Virginia, USA, also applied for a students’ visa at the Embassy here in Accra in May, this year, but she was turned down on the basis that she was dishonest about winning a US lottery. “The complainant later received a mail from suspect Charles Obeng pleading for forgiveness for not informing her before using information obtained from the Facebook for the lottery,” DCOP Agblor said. And even went ahead to request for an amount of $2,000 to be paid to one of his supposed accomplices, Agnes Konadu after which, the victim would be furnished with the relevant documents of the lottery through Ophelia Asante, another alleged accomplice. Luck, however, eluded them and they were arrested. The police believe the operations are being carried out by a syndicate and urged anybody with information about the suspect mentioned above to call 0243368296, 0244767473 or 03020761734 or contact the nearest police station for handsome reward. While the suspect is still wanted, Agnes and Ophelia were released on police enquiry bail. DCOP Agblor advised the public to be cautious of such miscreants and also refrain from advertising their credentials on the internet particularly on the Facebook. In a separate development, a drug peddler at Pokuase, Kobla Behene, 19, was convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment in-hard-labour by the 28th February Road Circuit Court presided over by Her Worship Patience Mills Tettey on Tuesday. He was charged for unlawful possession of narcotic drug. Narrating the facts of the matter, DCOP Agblor said the convict was arrested on July 24, this year, upon information that he dealt in drugs suspected to be cannabis, also known as Indian hemp (‘wee’). Armed with this information, some personnel of the CID Headquarters, he noted, were sent out to effect his arrest at Pokuase near the railway lines. “Suspect Kobla Behene, 19 years, was arrested with 138 wrappers and a quantity of unwrapped dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. Suspect Kobla Behene was met in a ghetto, cutting the stuff into smaller pieces,” the CID boss further explained. Behene had his Basic education at the Pobiman Primary School. According to police report, the convict, who is the first son of his parents’ five children, has a wife and a child. Credit: http://nayank80.blogspot.com

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.