Police expose Facebook fraud scam

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:30:16 +0000

THE police has unearthed a scam in which unscrupulous people are opening fake Facebook accounts using particulars of high-profile people in society purporting to be selling various goods as well as offering employment opportunities.

They have warned members of the public not to fall prey to such crooked acts.   In a statement issued yesterday, police public relations officer Esther Mwata Katongo said that the service had received fresh reports of cases in which criminals were opening fake Facebook accounts using particulars of prominent people among them Minister of Finance Felix Mutati, and Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ) chairperson Essau Chulu, among others.

Ms Katongo said that the criminals had devised ways of opening fake Facebook accounts using eminent members of society purporting that they were selling goods such as motor vehicles as well as promising employment opportunities to unsuspecting members of the public. She said other people who had fallen victim of their Facebook particulars being used were National Development Planning minister Lucky Mulusa, Minister of Labour Joyce Nonde-Simukoko and other dignitaries.

“We have received fresh reports of cases in which criminals are opening fake Facebook accounts using particulars of high-profile people in society purporting to be selling various goods such as motor vehicles as well as promising employment opportunities to unsuspecting members of the public,’’ she said. Ms Katongo said police had made progress in investigations and that conclusions would soon be finalized.    She has urged members of the public to be cautious of such fraudsters and avoid falling victim to crooked acts.