Online Fraud Scheme and Receipt of Funds Through Social Media Deception

According to a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR), an individual, using a fictitious identity through social media platforms, falsely claimed that USD 1 million had been allocated to the victim as an inheritance from a wealthy benefactor. The victim was instructed to deposit AFN 80,000 into a bank account in Afghanistan in order to receive the alleged package of money. Following receipt of the funds, the fraudster became unreachable.

Analysis conducted by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Afghanistan (FinTRACA) revealed that a total of AFN 519,000 had been deposited into the relevant bank account by five different individuals from multiple provinces. The relationship between the depositors and the account holder could not be established. The deposited funds were subsequently withdrawn by the account holder through several transactions involving cash withdrawals, POS machines, ATM withdrawals, and mobile credit purchases. The account holder denied any personal relationship with the victims.

Identified Red Flags:

• Use of fictitious identities and deceptive promises through social media;
• Fraudulent claims related to inheritance or financial rewards;
• Deposits made by multiple unrelated individuals into a single bank account;
• Unclear relationship between depositors and the account holder;
• Rapid withdrawal of funds immediately after deposits;
• Use of multiple withdrawal methods (cash, POS, ATM, and mobile credit purchases);
• Failure to provide a reasonable explanation regarding the source and purpose of transactions; and
• Denial of any relationship with victims by the account holder.

The case, together with analytical findings, was referred to the competent law enforcement authorities for further investigation and legal action. Subsequently, the case was forwarded to judicial authorities, and Pursuant to the judgment of the competent court, the accused was convicted and ordered to repay AFN 73,000 to the original complainant and was further sentenced to twenty-eight (28) days of imprisonment.

Updated On: june 2026