Erbil Police Arrest Suspect After Buyer Receives Tissues Instead of iPhones
$5000 order
Erbil police arrest suspected fraudster after buyer receives tissues instead of iPhones
ERBIL — Erbil police have arrested a suspect accused of defrauding a buyer who paid $5,000 for five iPhones but received tissues and papers instead, according to the Erbil Police Directorate.
“After a citizen reported purchasing five iPhones through a Facebook page and receiving a fraudulent package, our teams identified and arrested the suspect in a short time,” the police statement said.
Karzan Salih, spokesperson for the Erbil Police, told 964media, “The buyer was misled by a Facebook advertisement offering discounted iPhones. The suspect, claiming to operate a mobile shop in Baghdad, arranged the transaction. The buyer, a resident of Pshdar in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, handed over the payment in Erbil near a restaurant, only to discover the package contained tissues and papers.”
Surveillance footage shared by police shows the suspect collecting the payment, delivering the fraudulent package, and calmly leaving the scene. The suspect, identified as a 25-year-old originally from Sulaymaniyah with a criminal record, had been residing in Erbil.
“The suspect will be prosecuted under existing laws for the misuse of communication devices, as there is currently no specific legislation addressing online fraud and scams,” Salih added. He emphasized the need to update legal frameworks to address the growing prevalence of cybercrime.
The Erbil Police Directorate has urged citizens to exercise caution when making online purchases and verify the legitimacy of sellers to avoid becoming victims of fraud. The suspect is currently under investigation and has been referred to court.