Authorities are investigating a sophisticated fraud operation in which a suspect has been impersonating a well-known businessman to target unsuspecting business owners across the community.
According to reports, the scam first came to light on July 18th when staff at Epicurean Fine Foods and Pharmacy received what appeared to be a routine call from someone claiming to be a respected local entrepreneur. The caller requested that employees top up several mobile phone numbers using the store’s services, totaling $1,350 in Eastern Caribbean dollars.
To make the request appear legitimate, the suspect also placed an order for multiple platters of finger food, assuring staff that payment would be made in full when he arrived to collect both the food and handle the phone credit charges. Trusting the caller’s claimed identity, the kitchen supervisor processed the phone top-ups using her funds, expecting prompt reimbursement.
However, the promised collection never materialized, and the employee was left out of pocket and the ordered food items unclaimed.
The fraudulent activity escalated two days later when the same individual targeted a Clarke’s Hill resident on July 20th. This time, the caller used multiple phone numbers to contact the victim, again assuming the identity of the prominent businessman. The suspect requested top-ups for five different mobile numbers while simultaneously ordering food platters under the same false promise of payment upon collection.
The pattern of behaviour suggests a calculated approach designed to exploit the trust and reputation associated with the impersonated businessman’s name. By combining legitimate-sounding business requests with food orders, the suspect created an air of authenticity that convinced victims to advance their own money for the phone credits.
Local business owners are being urged to implement verification procedures when receiving unusual requests, particularly those involving advance payments or credit arrangements.
