Akure—POLICE authorities in Ondo State have declared a fake micro-finance bank operator, identified as Segun Akindele, wanted for swindling hundreds of people at Ikare-Akoko to the tune of several millions of naira.

The suspect, who fled the town with his staff, also locked up his once active office operated under the name Victory Development Multi-Purpose Limited.

Police source said the suspected fraudster’s real name was Samuel Adebiyi, but preferred to use the pseudo name to deceive the unsuspecting customers from tracing him afterwards.

Vanguard learned that the suspects asked his customers to obtain a registration form for N1,000 and pay another N4,000 for insurance, after which they would have to pay between N10,000 and N50,000 to qualify them for a loan of N250,000 and above.

The suspects reportedly assured his customers that the loan would be made available to them in two weeks after they must have fulfilled their part of the agreement.

Police sources said the harsh economic situation in the country made many people to fall for the scam.

It was gathered that the office, located at Idi Mango area, Ikare, was a beehive of activities as it was opened for 24 hours a day with about 10 staff.

Two weeks after his unsuspecting customers failed to receive alert from his bank, they stormed the office only to meet the place under lock.

Efforts to contact him and his managers on their mobile phones proved abortive as their lines were switched off.

The customers mobilised themselves, after it dawned on them that they had been swindled, and reported the matter at Ikare Police Station.

The police in the town reportedly swung into action and discovered that the suspect was actually a swindler, who came to the town to carry out the fraud.

Contacted, the spokesman of the police in the state, Wole Ogodo, confirmed that the fake operator of the micro-finance bank had fled the town.

Tecdani