A Nigerian gang was recently busted for defrauding a woman from Vadodara of Rs2.62 lakh after posing as an American citizen and a chemical engineer from the UK. The scammers initially contacted the woman, claiming they were traveling to Assam for work. They lured her into a web of deceit with false promises, eventually demanding money under various pretenses.
The fraudsters initially told the woman they needed funds to purchase machinery in Digboi, Assam. Trusting their story, she transferred a significant sum of money. However, the scammers kept demanding more money, claiming they needed funds to release a parcel that had supposedly been held up at the airport. In total, the woman transferred Rs2.62 lakh to the gang. As the demands continued and the situation seemed increasingly suspicious, she decided to report the matter to the Cyber Cell.
After receiving the woman’s complaint, the Vadodara Cyber Cell, led by Police Inspector B N Patel, launched a technical surveillance operation. Their investigation traced the fraudsters to a flat in Burari, Delhi, where they apprehended three Nigerian nationals:
Lezuo Obio
John
Gibril Mohammed
Additionally, Engbulle Ikenta was arrested from Unitech Horizon House, Greater Noida, UP. All four individuals, originally from Nigeria, were involved in the scam. During the arrest, the police seized three mobile phones used by the gang.
A Large-Scale Fraud Scheme Uncovered
Further investigation revealed that the gang had opened more than 500 fake bank accounts to carry out their fraudulent operations. The scam, which spanned several states, involved transactions totaling approximately Rs15 crore. As part of the nationwide operation, around 900 complaints had been registered on the national cyber portal, all linked to these accounts.
Vadodara Cyber Cell Police Inspector B N Patel stated, “The gang had set up a complex network of fake identities and bank accounts to carry out their operations. We are continuing our efforts to trace other members of the gang who may still be active.”