In May, Swordpress.NG Reported a scam involving Katu Phones and Computers, a brand that claimed to sell gadgets and gadget accessories on Instagram.
However, it would seem that a large following, snapshots of WhatsApp reviews and a well-curated page are enough to wash allegations away and convince others of safe patronage.
To bolster its credibility, the brand’s Instagram page displayed a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration badge as a highlight post. According to the CAC registry, the brand was indeed registered in 2020 but had become inactive.
Per the CAC registry, Katu Phones and Computers is located at Number 2, Lumsar Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Edoze Paul, convinced about Katu Phones and Computers’ legitimacy, placed an order for an iPhone 12 in August. Paul, an Asaba-based nurse and devoted father, wanted to get his daughter a gadget.
According to Paul, his daughter had just graduated from secondary school and he wanted to give her something significant.
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As a gadget enthusiast, Paul told FIJ that he was naturally drawn to Katu Phones’ Instagram page. He explained that he had been following the brand months before he became a victim.
“I met this brand on Instagram. I have been following his page for a while. I did not realise he was a scammer,” Paul told FIJ in September.
After a short conversation about an iPhone 12 on Instagram, Paul texted Katu Phones on the WhatsApp number attached to the brand’s profile.
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Following brief negotiations, Paul reached a compromise of N218,500 with Katu Phones. Satisfied with the price, he sent the sum from his Guaranty Trust Bank account to a Moniepoint bank account provided by Katu Phones. The account name, FIJ noted, was Amenaghawon Sezar Favour.
After making the payment, Paul told FIJ that Katu Phones blocked him on Instagram almost immediately.
“I transferred money (N218,500) from my Guaranty Trust Bank account to a Moniepoint bank account No 8248599400 supposedly owned by Katu Phones. The name on the account was Sezar Amenaghawon for an iPhone 12 Pro Max. Immediately I paid the money, he blocked me on Instagram and I have been unable to reach him,” Paul told FIJ.
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KATU PHONES AND COMPUTERS USING DIFFERENT IDENTITIES TO DEFRAUD PEOPLE
Paul, realising that he had been duped, decided to confirm whether the account belonged to a serial fraudster or not. What he found led him to believe that the fraudster might be using other people’s identities to defraud people.
“When he blocked me, I wanted to be sure. So, I told someone to look for his account and chat him up. I noticed that he gave the lady a different account number. The account belonged to a Helen Akhabue and it’s a Zenith bank account,” he explained to FIJ.
This account name is consistent with FIJ’s previous report. Temitope Rasheed, the victim in that case, claimed that she also sent money for a gadget to a Zenith Bank account with the name Helen Akhabue.
@lasgcopa Kindly assist with the fraudulent case as I tried buying 3 PSP console from elite_mobile._ on Instagram on 13th January. He said its payment before delivery which I sent the sum of 120k to the Name: Amenaghawon Sezar Favour Account Number: 6963754018 Bank: FCMB.— I_amOluwaseun (@ComrOluwaseun) January 15, 2021
FIJ would later find another victim who had been defrauded by the same name. According to him, he was defrauded with a First City Monument Bank account named Amenaghawon Sezar Favour.
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According to Oluwaseun, he had sent N120,000 for a gaming device and he was blocked immediately after he made the payment. In his case, however, the Instagram handle was different. The handle’s username was elite_mobile_.
KATU PHONES UNRESPONSIVE, BLOCKS Swordpress.NG ReportER
FIJ’s reporter texted Katu Phones and Computers on Instagram on the pretext of getting a laptop on Sunday. When the reporter requested a picture of the business location as proof and a safety measure, Katu Phones blocked him.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, FIJ texted Katu Phones and Computers on WhatsApp and sent an SMS text asking about the standing accusations of fraud. At press time, he had not sent a response.
The post Katu Phones Blocks Multiple Clients on Instagram After Taking Orders, Moves On to Next Victims appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.