Crimes

Police arrest social media fraudster in Kano

The operatives of the Kano State Police Command have arrested a social media fraudster who specializes in defrauding and impersonating people.

The suspect who operates multiple accounts defrauded randy lovers and used a lady’s pictures and videos to perpetrate his activities.

The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, made this known in a statement, on Sunday.

Kiyawa said a lady, Zahra Mansur, reported that someone used her Facebook account to defraud people.

“The male suspect specialised in using male and female names, creating Social Media accounts, and defrauding his victims, especially randy lovers

“Between April to June 2022, there was a public outcry on the activities of a notorious fraudster on various Social Media platforms that specialized in using male and female names, pictures, and videos, creating various accounts on Facebook, WhatsApp, etc., and defrauding many people, especially randy lovers.

“One Zahra Mansur, ‘f’, 20 years old also complained that she received phone calls from her close associates that someone uses her name, pictures, and videos, creating Facebook accounts, and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public,” the police spokesperson stated.

Kiyawa added that an investigation led to the arrest of the suspect known as Musa L. Maje in Sitti, Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano State.

He said: “On receipt of these reports, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, raised and instructed a team of detectives led by SP Shehu Dahiru to arrest the culprit. The team immediately swung into action using technical support.

“Sustained efforts and intelligence-led follow-up, led to the arrest of the suspect, one Musa Lurwanu Maje, ‘m’, popularly known on the Social Media as Musa L Maje, 26 years old, of Sitti Village, Sumaila LGA, Kano State.

“The suspect was arrested in possession of a Redmi Note 11 Pro mobile phone valued at Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000:00) and other accessories bought from the proceeds of fraud. The sum of Seventy Thousand Naira was also recovered from his possession. Nude pictures and videos of victims were also recovered from him.

“On investigation, the suspect confessed that he specialized in the use of Social Media and creates fake Social Media accounts to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. He claimed to have created a fake Facebook account bearing ‘’Zahra Mansur‘’ and uses her pictures and videos to defraud people without her consent. He also confessed to having deceived many people and got their nude pictures and videos, and threatened to blackmail them if they refuse to send money to him.”

The police spokesman further noted that the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.

Kiyawa, however, advised the general public to avoid disclosing their sensitive and private information on social media.

The Star