A young widow and mother of three has taken to social media to express her anguish after being defrauded by a man who purchased three bags of rice worth ₦255,000 from her shop using counterfeit ₦1,000 notes.
In her emotional post, she revealed that the man, well-dressed and driving a car, bought the rice at ₦85,000 per bag. Her shop attendant unknowingly accepted the fake cash, leaving the widow in a state of despair as she struggles to repay loans and sustain her family.
The distraught widow detailed her challenges, stating:
“God knows how genuine I hustle to survive with my three children. There is no legit business I’ve not done to make ends meet. I’ve not been myself because I’ve been thinking of people’s money.”
She explained that she has deliberately chosen to rely on hard work and integrity instead of seeking shortcuts, emphasizing that her survival depends on loans and contributions. She expressed her frustration at the callousness of the man who targeted her shop:
“Someone’s father, husband, brother, and son dressed well in his car and went to a widow’s shop to do this to me, without thinking of how I’m surviving or seeing the pains, sorrow, and daily tears behind my smile.”
In a heartbreaking plea, she cursed the fraudster, saying:
“Dear Lord, may his wife be a widow soon. May his children suffer in lack and in ill health.”
The incident has sparked discussions on social media about the increasing prevalence of counterfeit currency and its devastating impact on vulnerable members of society. Many sympathizers have urged authorities to take action against the use of fake currency and have called for support for the widow to help her recover from the loss.
This story highlights the struggles faced by widows and small business owners in Nigeria and the need for increased awareness and protection against fraudulent activities.