REPORTED CASES of fraud, known as ‘419’ in the local parlance, is on the increase in Kumasi the Ashanti regional capital, information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates.

The paper gathered pathetically that scores of people, most especially those from the hinterlands who were visiting Kumasi for the first time, have fallen prey to the syndicate lately.

Ironically, DAILY GUIDE learnt that residents of Kumasi, including those doing white collar jobs, have also been victims of the ‘419’ activities which was now rampant in the city.

The paper has been told that the perpetrators of the fraud activities usually practiced their illegal trade at the famous Kejetia Bus Terminal, which is situated right in the middle of the city.

The executors of these illegal activities, according to accounts of their victims, usually dressed in flashy suits and posed as first time visitors to Kumasi who have lost their way to their destination.

These criminals intentionally approach people whom they suspect are visiting Kumasi for the first time, notably to shop, and ask them for help to find their way to the right destinations.

In the course of their interactions with their targets, the criminals would inform their unsuspecting victims that they have in their possession quantities of gold which they want to change.

They would then tell their victims that if they are able to help them find their way to their destination, they would reward them handsomely by giving gold to them free of charge.

In the course of the conversation, another person who is part of the fraud syndicate would appear at the scene and he/she would willingly accept to team up with the ‘419’ target to help the man find his way in the city.

After taking their victim from public domain to a secluded place, the man, who supposedly has gold in his possession, would tell his colleague to hand over his bag to the fraud target.

The main architect in the fraud syndicate would then tell his colleague to go and buy an item from a nearby shop which he would use to perform sacrifices in order not to make the gold vanish.

Upon his return, the main architect in the syndicate would then tell the ‘fraud target’ to also hand over his bag and all other items he has on him to the other man and go and purchase some items for sacrifices on the gold he was about to give him.

The two fraudsters would then dash with the bag, loaded with money and other lucrative items of their unsuspecting victim, with most of them usually weeping like babies after they have been duped.

Most of Kumasi residents that spoke on the ‘Breaking News’ programme aired on Kessben FM on Saturday gave series of accounts about how they were robbed of their monies, mobile phones and items by these criminals.

It was revealed on the show, which was co-hosted by Ali Baba and Confidence that some of the fraudsters at times feigned as sick people to attract the attention of their targets to dupe them.