A widow and mother of five from Madina, Zongo, has appealed for help after allegedly losing money to online fraudsters posing as furniture dealers on TikTok. Madam Afizatu Alhassan appeared on the Obra Show, aired on Nhyira 104.5 FM and Adom TV, narrating how she came across an advertisement by a furniture business operating under the name Master Jay Furniture. The dealers claimed to be based in Koforidua and promised to deliver the furniture after receiving payment.
Afizatu initially insisted on paying upon delivery, but a young man later contacted her, claiming to be at the Koforidua station and ready to dispatch the items. She was then convinced by another person, posing as a driver, to transfer the money to the station, explaining that transport union regulations required payment before the goods could be released to the sender. Trusting the explanation, Afizatu transferred the money, but two days later, neither the furniture nor the alleged dealers could be reached.
The Obra Show host, Ohemaa Benewaa, and Evangelist DeGraft Addae posed as a couple and contacted the same business to purchase a wardrobe, furniture, a shoe rack, and other items to verify the allegations. The alleged dealers quoted GH¢2,800 for the items and demanded a 50 per cent advance payment before processing the delivery. They provided a mobile money number for the transaction, but the Obra Team says the individuals went into hiding for a day after realizing their activities had been exposed.
The alleged dealers resurfaced on the same TikTok platform under a different business name, Mr UK Furnitures. Moved by Afizatu's plight, the Obra Show team provided her with financial support to help ease her difficulties. The programme also used the incident to caution the public against online shopping fraud, urging prospective buyers to be vigilant and wary of unusually cheap offers and deceptive advertisements on social media.
The Ghana Police Service has been contacted to investigate the alleged fraud and track down those behind the operation to ensure they are brought to justice. The police will likely increase their online presence and monitoring to catch the scammers and prevent future incidents. Online shopping has become increasingly popular in Ghana, and cases of online fraud have been on the rise.
The Obra Show team advises the public to be cautious when dealing with online businesses, especially those that demand advance payments before delivering goods. The team also encourages victims of online fraud to come forward and report their cases to the authorities. Public awareness and education are key in preventing online fraud, and the Obra Show team will continue to highlight such cases to educate the public.
The incident highlights the need for regulation and monitoring of online businesses in Ghana. The government and relevant authorities must take steps to regulate online businesses and protect consumers from fraudulent activities. The case also underscores the importance of verifying the authenticity of online businesses before making any transactions.
Key points
- The alleged dealers demanded a 50 per cent advance payment before processing the delivery of the furniture.
- The Obra Show team provided Afizatu with financial support to help ease her difficulties.
- The Ghana Police Service has been contacted to investigate the alleged fraud.
