Police on Saturday arrested a youth in Kalia, Narail, for allegedly defrauding individuals by creating fraudulent Facebook profile using a woman’s photographs and personal information.
The arrestee was identified as Md Omar Faruq, 30, a resident of Borokalia village. He is employed as a contractual supervisor for the ‘Mosque-based Child and Mass Education Programme’ project, operated by the Islamic Foundation in Kalia.
According to police and local sources, Faruq created the fake account using the victim’s identity to solicit money from her relatives and friends.
He reportedly used various pretexts, such as promising employment or claiming to be in personal danger, to siphon funds. To establish credibility and gain the trust of his targets, he shared photographs of the victim taken with her family members.
The matter came to light after Faruq requested Tk10,000 from the victim’s brother through the fake account. He directed the payment to be sent to a local mobile banking agent’s shop.
CCTV footage from 18 February showed Faruq visiting the shop twice, first at 7:06pm and again at 7:26pm, to collect the money.
Upon realising they were being defrauded, the victim’s family lodged a written complaint with the Kalia Police Station. Following a shadow investigation supported by information technology, police identified and detained Faruq.
Idris Ali, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kalia Police Station, confirmed that incriminating evidence of the fraud was discovered on the suspect’s mobile phone during primary interrogation.
A case has been filed by the victim’s husband. Faruq was subsequently shown arrested in the case and sent to court on Saturday afternoon.
