Beware of romance, package delivery scams – FIU warns

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Guyana is warning the public against the rise of package delivery and romance scams, in which persons are actively involved with international partners to defraud locals.
On Thursday, the agency informed that these package delivery or romance scammers emerged prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting persons via social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The methodology used by these fraudsters is to befriend unsuspecting persons and after building trust with their “new friend” or “love interest”, promising the intended victim some form of assistance. This, in most instances, is supposedly a package containing valuable gift items such as designer clothing, jewellery, televisions, cell phones, and other electronic devices.
“The victim is usually contacted by a local associate of the scammer, confirming the arrival of the package and requesting their personal contact and other information. The intended victim is subsequently contacted again and requested to deposit money to a specified local bank account or send via a money transfer agency (MTA),” the FIU stressed.
Victims are then advised that a payment is required to cover brokerage fees, customs duties, penalties and/or shipping charges for the package. Once the payment is made, the scammers discontinue all contact with the victim. In some instances, requests are made for additional payments, for various reasons which may sound plausible to unsuspecting individuals.
The public has since been cautioned, “If you or someone you know is approached via email, Facebook, WhatsApp, SMS, etc, and promised gifts or COVID-19 related financial or other assistance, Beware! This may be a SCAM. Do not share any personal information, transfer or deposit money into the bank account of persons you meet online and do not know very well. If you believe that you are a victim of the ‘Romance or Package Delivery Scam’, report it immediately to the nearest Police Station.”
In February, a Nigerian man, who was allegedly part of an international criminal network that befriended women on Facebook and promised lavish gifts, was charged with obtaining monies by false pretence.
Uche Raymond Okoye, also known as Uche Parker, was slapped with 11 charges and appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
According to those charges, between October and November 2020, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained $6,059,900 from Suruj Dei Balkaran, and $50,000 from another woman by falsely claiming that he had packages intended for them.
During that time, he informed them about the supposed packages containing the latest gadgets and electronic devices. He reportedly told the women that he would be sending the items, and that they would need to contact a representative who would clear the packages and deliver them. The representative he referred to was himself, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor had stated.
The Nigerian sent the women a WhatsApp number on which he could be contacted about the transactions. It is alleged that the women paid the monies as they expected the packages, but, every time, Balkaran was told of some complications and instructed to send more cash via bank transfers and Western Union. She reportedly sent monies on 10 different occasions.
Previously in November, Okoye had appeared at a city court and pleaded not guilty to two counts of obtaining money by false pretence, one count of demanding money by menace, and one count of illegal entry into Guyana. (G12)