The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a woman, Elizabeth Thamson, for allegedly defrauding three people of N8.5m under the pretext of helping them secure Canadian work visas.
Her arrest came shortly after the command warned residents about the rising cases of online fraud, including fake dating sites, travel and visa scams, and other schemes used to swindle unsuspecting victims.
In a statement on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed that the victims were deceived into believing that their visas had been approved.
“The victims narrated that after undergoing biometric verification as instructed by the suspect, they were informed that their visas had been approved,” the statement read.
However, when they took the supposed approval letters to the Visa Facilitation Service office in Lagos for verification, it was discovered that the documents were fake.
Odutola added, “Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. Preliminary investigation revealed that she had been operating a fraudulent migration scheme targeting individuals desperate for employment opportunities abroad.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered a discreet investigation into the case and urged the public to be cautious.
“He cautioned members of the public, especially young people, to exercise due diligence when seeking travel opportunities, verify online information through official channels, and avoid patronising touts or unverified agents for visa processing,” the statement added.
Despite repeated warnings from the police and several victims’ experiences, many Nigerians continue to fall victim to fake travel agents.
PUNCH Metro reported in June that the Nigeria Police rescued a Ghanaian national, Sammed Iddrisu, who was allegedly trafficked into the country under the false promise of processing travel documents for migration to Europe.
PUNCH.
