Facebook land scammer imitating Lands Minister Cordel Hyde

Published by BBNTEAM at February 20, 2024

Posted: Tuesday, February 20, 2024. 9:40 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: If there is one person Belizeans should expect to be truthful and open about a land transaction, it would be Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources Cordel Hyde.

But police sources are sure the Minister doesn’t know about someone who took money in his name via a fake social media profile promising to work on the purchase of land for a Belize City resident.

The complainant told police that in August of 2023, she responded to a friend request to an account in the Minister’s name, with his picture on it. The request was accepted and she began communicating with the account about a piece of land she was trying to purchase and wanting to obtain his assistance to “speed up the process.”

The complainant was asked to pay $1,000 to have “Hyde” personally work on her papers. There was no further communication until February when the complainant messaged the account again, asking how to make the payments. She was directed to an Atlantic bank account and paid in $500, followed by another $500 on February 12, but then started to get suspicious. On February 19, she messaged the account again asking for her money back and was told the person would send it, but after further communication failed, she realized she had been blocked and lost out on the money.

Police have identified a suspect, whom we are told has done this before. Investigations continue.

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