EKO HOT BLOG reports that the command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, made this known to newsmen on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
She disclosed that the suspects manipulated Austin after she accepted a Facebook friend request from an account bearing the name ‘Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu.’
Iringe-Koko recounted how the victim, initially hesitant, eventually accepted the friend request in February 2022.
“The individual behind the account claimed to be a construction engineer with an impressive portfolio of luxurious homes allegedly built for clients.
“The fraudster shared images of high-end properties in Ajah, Lagos, which he claimed to have constructed.
“Sandra expressed interest in one of the properties, and the scammer told her it would cost N150 million to purchase land and complete the development,” she said.
The PPRO also stated that the incident left Austin traumatised, and unable to contact the fraudster, adding that she developed hypertension and was hospitalised for a prolonged period.
The police image maker further said that the scammer later added to her distress by threatening to kill her family members if she reported the matter to the authorities.