Authorities are investigating a sophisticated fraud in which a suspect impersonated a well-known local businessman to dupe business owners.
The scam emerged on 18 July when staff at Epicurean Fine Foods and Pharmacy received a call from someone claiming to be the entrepreneur. The caller asked employees to top up several mobile phone numbers worth $1,350 EC dollars and ordered finger food platters, promising to pay upon collection.
Trusting the caller, a kitchen supervisor used her own money to process the phone top-ups, but the suspect never collected the food or reimbursed her.
Two days later, the suspect targeted a Clarke’s Hill resident, again posing as the businessman and requesting phone top-ups for five numbers alongside food orders under the same false promise of payment.
Police warn local businesses to verify unusual requests, especially those requiring advance payments. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone who has received similar calls is urged to report them.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
ANTIGUA, the place in the Caribbean where CRIME is the NUMBER ONE PASTIME those at the bottom of the ladder are imitating those at the top; but getting caught most of the time. They do not understand those involved in WHITE COLLAR CRIME has more protection than those involved in BLUE COLLAR CRIME
Cordell ogarro
It should come as no surprise to the powers that be to learn that these shenenigans are perpetrated by an individual incarcerated at His Majesty’s Prison. Mr. Pennyfeather knows exactly who this person is.
I have been a vicitm and my investigations led me to identify this individual to both the police and prison authorities.
In my case, I was scammed of $1150 with the perpetrator pretending to be the late Mr. Atkinson Beazer of Barbuda. I have documentary evidence of this.
Around the same time, a supermarket was robbed of $600 in his Digicel phone Top-up schemes. Within days of my loss, a local hardware was scammed of $2150 by the same individual posing as Mr Errol Cort.
My telephone number is 779-7207 for law enforcement to contact me if they really have a will to stop this scamming once and for all.
It may be as simple as confiscating or electronically jamming ALL cellphones within the walls of 1735. As my dad would say, “where there is a will, there is a way”.
People who don’t work no where and want to live off of people. One day they will meet what they should! Things don’t last forever
I hope they find the person! This is madness to another level. Scamming hard earning people and never the less using someone’s name to do it.
Whether it’s a fake bank transfer, a bad check, or a promise to pay later, these impostor scams aim to get goods without legitimate payment. Vigilance is key.
The numbers that they top up should lead you to the perpetrators. Start there
Is it possible the authorities might know who the perpetrator is and do not really want to expose who he is? They might be just hoping he stops. This is Antigua and you know how things go yah