Suriname police arrest three in mobile phone fraud investigation

Police in Paramaribo, Suriname, have arrested three individuals in connection with an online mobile phone scam. The investigation, conducted by intelligence services and the Regio Bijstand Team Paramaribo, began after victims reported being defrauded of large sums of Surinamese dollars (SRD) through Facebook advertisements for iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro Max models.

Victims reported paying advances to a Finabank account belonging to M. N. after expressing interest via WhatsApp. When the devices were never delivered, police investigations identified J. M. and A. M. as the primary actors. The suspects claimed they used the bank account to facilitate transactions for an online company, using the funds to purchase US dollars for their employer.

The suspects stated they had not received salaries since June 2026 and that their employer has been unreachable. Following consultation with the Public Prosecutor's Office, J. M. and A. M. were detained on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and complicity. M. N. was released after questioning.