Like a joke: Nigerian gang using Italian doctor's photos defrauds Turkish women

The photos of Giuseppe Sebastio, who lives in Italy and has 20 thousand followers, have become material for a Nigerian fraud gang. The scammers, who opened accounts under the names "Dr. Philips Thomson" and "Owen Carter" using the doctor's photos, defrauded Turkish women with promises of a relationship.

According to the report by Oğuzhan Uysal from Sabah newspaper, the members of the fraud gang who messaged Turkish women with these accounts first established an emotional bond. Following this stage, they claimed to be the person in the account, a doctor in Syria, a widower with one daughter, and stated that they were planning to get married.

THEY DECEIVED THEM WITH PROMISES OF MARRIAGE

The gang members, who advanced the communication, then took the first step of the fraud with the lie that they would retire. The gang members, who attracted the women's interest with the lie that they would receive a large amount of retirement bonus, then said that they wanted to send this money to Turkey and wanted to marry someone good who would look after their child.

Women who believed what the gang members said were then contacted by gang members disguised as couriers after a while. They demanded money for the cargo to reach them. Women who thought they would receive a large amount of money became victims of the gang.

 Ophthalmologist Sebastio said, "I also use social media actively to help people. Some Nigerian scammers are contacting Turkish women by using my photos in fake profiles. They make women fall in love and then ask for money. Women should not believe my photos and send money. I am very sad. Many women who have been defrauded reach out to me every day."