A Nigerian farmer, Ogunwale Mary, has narrated how a man who begged her for a job to support his family scammed her of N5,000 and then blocked her on all platforms. The incident, which Mary shared on Facebook on 30 July 2026, has sparked widespread reactions online.
How the Scam Unfolded
According to Mary, the man first contacted her via chat, explaining that he was unemployed and struggling to provide for his wife and children. He was upfront about his limitations, saying he could neither drive a car nor ride a bike, but pleaded for any opportunity she could offer.
After several days of persistent begging, Mary decided to give him a chance. She offered him a position with a monthly salary of N70,000, with feeding and accommodation included. She then asked him to send his National Identification Number (NIN) and a résumé to formalise the process. The man agreed, expressed deep gratitude, and was told to resume the following weekend.
As the start date approached, the man told Mary he was struggling to find transport money to get to her. Moved by his situation, she transferred N5,000 to him, also asking him to pick up a few items for her on his way over. The moment the money landed in his account, he blocked her and deleted the NIN he had previously sent her.
Mary's Account of the Ordeal
In her Facebook post, Mary wrote: "One stupid man chatted me last week begging me that he needed a job to take care of his children and wife. He said he doesn't know how to drive a car or a bike but he needed the job badly. After begging me for some days, I asked him to send his NIN and resume on N70k monthly salary, feeding and accommodation will be included. He thanked me and said I'm God's sent to him. He was to resume on Saturday. He told me he was looking for transport money. I took pity on him and sent him N5k so that he can pick some items for me on his way to my place. The werey blocked me immediately he received money and deleted his NIN not knowing that I have saved the NIN."
Mary also shared the man's contact details: Olajide Blessing Oladimeji, with phone number 08102329363.
Public Reactions
The post has generated a mix of sympathy and criticism from social media users. Wisdom James commented: "Ogunwale Mary my dear faithful Nigerian lady, may God Almighty bless you and your business, you have tried." Chukwu Melfford Azegba remarked: "Which means that the hardship he is facing is caused by him." Brian Weymann said: "Lol so funny ooo. That's why to help people now is scary. And him don forget say u and him go still jam again."
Broader Context of Joblessness in Nigeria
This incident comes amid widespread unemployment in Nigeria. In a related report, a university graduate who completed his National Youth Service Corps between 2019 and 2020 expressed sadness over his continuous lack of a stable job, even eight years after graduation. Such stories highlight the desperation many Nigerians face in the job market, which sometimes leads to fraudulent behaviour.
Mary's experience serves as a cautionary tale for those who wish to help others, reminding them to verify the authenticity of requests before sending money, even when the request seems genuine.
