A fake online phone vendor has been tracked down and captured after selling a damaged iPhone 12 Pro to a customer and then attempting to abscond with the device in Lagos
According to the victim, he connected with a man on social media who claimed to be a legitimate iPhone vendor.
Trusting the seller's representations, the buyer decided to patronize him.
He arranged for his dispatch rider to visit the provided shop address to complete the transaction.
After N330,000 transfer and N70,000 cash payment was made and the rider initially confirmed the phone appeared fine, the rider took it home.
Upon closer inspection at home, the buyer discovered that the phone's speaker faulty and non-functional.
The buyer immediately contacted the vendor to report the issue and request a replacement or refund. The seller instructed him to return the phone to the shop for an exchange.
When the dispatch rider arrived back at the location and handed over the device for replacement, the vendor took the phone, asked the rider to wait briefly, and then vanished through another exit, fleeing with the returned iPhone.
With the help of the victim's friend, the scammer was eventually located and tracked down.
He was apprehended and the phone was recovered. The suspect was then handed over to the police for further action.
Further investigation revealed that the fraudster was not the actual owner of the shop.
He had only pretended to be the owner, while in reality he was operating as an unauthorized middleman who exploited the premises to carry out his deceptive activities.
This tactic allowed him to appear credible to unsuspecting buyers before disappearing with their money or goods.