It’s the end of the road for two bank fraudsters taking advantage of local businesses in the Benin metropolis, South-South of Nigeria.
The suspects, Rich Kelvin, 24, and his cohort, Clinton Odiase, 19, were arrested on Thursday, 17 March 2022, by the Edo Police command around St. Saviour Road after a reliable tip-off.
The duo specialized in sending fake Bank credit alerts after a transaction to dupe their victims.
It gathered that the alleged fraudsters went to a shop along Forestry Road in Benin, buying two phones – an iPhone worth N700,000 and another unnamed phone worth N200,000.
The fraudsters posing as genuine customers requested to pay via bank transfer and asked for the business’s bank details.
Kevin and Odiase told their target that the transfer might be delayed after making a fake credit alert.
The fraudsters showed the businessman a debit transaction on his bank account to validate their dubious transaction.
Speaking on his ordeal, the businessman, who is not named for security reasons, said, “I am really shocked how the two guys were able to manipulate their phones.
“I saw that the amount had been debited from their account. I later got to know after the bank confirmed to me that such an amount did not enter into my account.
“I want the police to thoroughly investigate these two men as they should be charged for stealing.”
One of the suspects said,” This is the second time I am doing this kind of a thing. I am a fashion designer at St saviour Road in Benin city, and my friend taught me how to issue a fake Bank credit alert to buy expensive items”.
Contacted, Edo State Police Public Relations Officer SP Bello Kontongs assured that the two suspects would be profiled to know if there are other traders who have fallen for the antics of the two suspects.
