Authorities apprehend young adult over alleged N1.5m fraud involving point-of-sale terminal in Plateau State

A recent arrest by the Plateau State Police Command has shed light on a suspected Point of Sale fraudster, who allegedly swindled a PoS operator out of ₦1,550,000 at Terminus market, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

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The statement, signed by Police Public Relations Officer SP Alfred Alabo, revealed that the suspect, 20-year-old Jonathan Sambo Bitrus from Bauchi State, was taken into custody following the incident, which was reported by the victim, Miss Josephine Morolayo.

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Miss Morolayo, a PoS salesgirl, reported that the suspect had visited her shop at Terminus Market, initially asking to check his account balance, and later requesting a withdrawal of ₦1,950,000, after which she initiated the transaction and handed him the machine to input his PIN.

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As the transaction progressed, Miss Morolayo handed the suspect ₦1,550,000 and asked him to wait for her boss to return from the mosque to receive the remaining ₦400,000, unaware that she had just been defrauded, as the suspect had actually cancelled the transaction and fled with the money.

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Upon her boss's return, Miss Morolayo discovered that the receipt she had seen was from a previous transaction, and it was then that she realized she had been duped, the statement explained.

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During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, revealing that he had accessed the victim's transaction history while inputting his PIN and had requested the withdrawal of ₦1,950,000, knowing his account was empty.

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The suspect further admitted that he had used the stolen funds to purchase an iPhone 13 Pro and clothing materials, according to the statement.

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The Police Command stated that the suspect is currently in custody and will soon be charged to court, emphasizing its commitment to combating financial crimes in the state.

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The Command urged citizens to exercise caution when dealing with financial transactions and to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the control room emergency numbers, in a bid to prevent similar incidents from occurring.