Folorunsho Emmanuel Blessing, a recent graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), was scammed of N80,000 by Ismaila Oyeniran on Facebook after he contacted him to purchase a fridge he had posted on Facebook Marketplace.
On July 12, Blessing expressed interest in a Skyrun fridge Oyeniran advertised on Facebook Marketplace for sale at N55,000.
Oyeniran messaged Blessing on Facebook, asking him to send a text on WhatsApp if he was ready to make his purchase.
On July 21, Blessing decided to proceed with the purchase and the chat moved to WhatsApp.
On WhatsApp, Blessing asked who would pay for the delivery of the fridge and Oyeniran told him that the delivery fees would be part of the overall fridge cost. They had originally agreed that Blessing would pay for the fridge on delivery.
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Blessing told FIJ that Oyeniran then claimed to be in Ogun State and sent video ‘evidence’ to Blessing.
(The edited video Oyeniran sent to Blessing)
He urged Blessing to send the transport money soon because he was about to buy tickets at the Peace Mass Transit terminal for the delivery.
(More edited videos Oyeniran sent as ‘proof’ of him supposedly at Peace Mass Transit)
There, Oyeniran pleaded for N10,000 for bus fare and another N2,000 for the tricycle that would take him to the park. He claimed not to have any money because his wife was undergoing a surgery. He also told Blessing that he could subtract the N12,000 from the cost of the freezer when it arrived.
Shortly after that, a strange number (with the name Jamiu Oluwabless Oni) texted Blessing. Oni claimed to be the manager of the park, and told Blessing that the park could not transport an item that had not yet been fully paid for.
He suggested that Blessing transfer at least half the balance of the fridge into the park account before the freezer could be transported.
Blessing initially refused, stating that he could not pay for an item he was yet to see physically. He insisted that the park had no concern with the payment of the package. He also said that if they would not carry the freezer, then they should refund the N10,000, and the seller should move to another park.
Oni then said that the bus fare was non-refundable. When Blessing pleaded with him, Oni refused to listen and then he ended the call.
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Oyeniran, the seller, told Blessing that the N21,500 was refundable in three working days if he didn’t like the fridge. He offered to collect only N43,000 instead of the original N55,000 as the new payment of the fridge because of the bus fare and transportation he (Blessing) had paid.
Blessing told FIJ that he did not want his N12,000 to go to waste, so he caved in and paid the N21,500 requested by the manager.
Oyeniran sent him a video of the supposed bus leaving the park, claiming that his fridge was inside.
At this point Blessing had paid N33,500 in total.
Oni messaged Blessing shorty after that, and told him that he (Oni) would now have to generate a pickup code for the delivery and that it was very important and would enable the driver via their system to know where to make the delivery.
Oni then told Blessing that his part payment was unable to generate a pickup code, and that he should make the full payment for the fridge. The balance was an additional N21,500.
Blessing sent the N21,500, and was told that the bus had left the park and was heading for his location in Ogbomosho.
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Blessing had now paid N55,000 to the supposed park manager.
Shortly after this, Oni called Blessing and said he needed to send him (Oni) a refundable N12,500 urgently for another pick up code claiming that if it was not sent, the driver’s logistics app would not bring up Blessing’s location.
“I had no choice anymore at this point. I borrowed money and sent N12,500 to him,” Blessing told FIJ.
Oni messaged back and asked Blessing for an additional N12,500 so he could generate two pickup codes. He said that their system needed two pickup codes: one for their supposed driver and one for Blessing.
Oni then called and asked for Blessing’s Gmail address, picture and account details, claiming he would refund both N12,500 payments.
Blessing proceeded to call the supposed driver’s number to ask for his location. The driver claimed to be close, but said he did not have the confirmation to stop in Blessing’s location yet.
“It was a coordinated, elaborate scam,” Blessing said.
“I knew I was scammed already, but I felt like I had no choice but to see it through to the end.”
Blessing got to the pick-up location early and he sat on the side of the Ogbomosho/Ilorin expressway waiting for the Peace Mass Transit bus to arrive.
After sending his Gmail address, picture and account details, he transferred the N12,500 requested by Oni and called him for confirmation.
Oni confirmed the amount and asked Blessing to follow the prompt in the Gmail address he provided.
Blessing checked the email and saw a low quality screenshot of a website page urging him to send another N25,000 to rectify some more supposed issues with their system.
Blessing called Oni and asked him what the mail meant. Oni replied rudely and commanded Blessing to do as he was instructed if he wanted to get his package.
Blessing waited at the park from 3 pm in the afternoon till it began to rain around 8 pm and it was too cold to wait. He then returned to his hostel.
Blessing went to the OPay office to report the scam and was asked to obtain a court order, he however said he did not have enough money for that.
“I’m owing N62,000 to people outside the apps as well who are desperately in need of their money back,” Blessing told FIJ.
“I don’t know where I would see N5,000 for police report or money for their fuel and other money the police would ask for.”
When Blessing reported the scam in the OPay app, in hopes that the accounts would be barred from further transactions, he was told that the customer service team would complete a review within three working days. Seven working days later, Blessing saw no response.
“We are all fresh graduates still on campus just trying to make ends meet while waiting for NYSC call up letter. I buy and resell fairly used items to survive, anything from used generators to couch, fridge, bed frames and the likes. I don’t deserve something like this,” he said.
Oyeniran’s page is still active with up to three fridges, including the same Skyrun brand, listed on his Facebook Marketplace profile.
The post How Elaborate Facebook Marketplace Scam Claimed LAUTECH Graduate’s N80,000 appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.