African Man Arrested in Morocco for Facebook Romance Scam Targeting Women

A sub-Saharan African, an impostor on Facebook, was arrested last Thursday by elements of the Provincial Brigade of the Judicial Police, in the city of Safi. He is being prosecuted for identity theft, fraud and swindling.

Under a false European identity, the individual wove virtual relationships with women and promised them marriage, before extracting large sums of money from them.

Investigating these fraud allegations, the police services discovered that the sub-Saharan African was posing as a customs employee, and was offering his victims valuable gifts in exchange for money. He received transfers of 3,000 to 40,000 dirhams, before disappearing into thin air.

A search carried out at his home made it possible to seize the identity documents used in the withdrawals, transfer receipts, as well as sums of money in foreign and local currencies.

The suspect was placed in custody, at the disposal of the investigation conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, in order to uncover the ramifications of this case, and the possible involvement of other persons.