From Facebook Friendship To Fraud: How Nigerian Scammers Target Indians, 8 Held

In a groundbreaking development, the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand and the Cybercrime Police Station in Dehradun have successfully tried eight Nigerian individuals accused of cybercrime. This marks the first time in the country’s history that such a large number of defendants have been simultaneously prosecuted.

Nigerian Gang Being The Scam

The accused, identified as Chijioke Ndimkaoha, Okkulu Chukku Aboh, Stanley Ojubrkeaonwu, Oniwuru Jonathan Ubika, Okolientha Venitus, Awakpo Sunday, Nwachukwu Vgochukwu Favor, and Onyebuchi Chinasa Franklin, allegedly operated a cybercrime syndicate that targeted unsuspecting individuals across India. These cyber thugs employed sophisticated methods to deceive people by impersonating citizens of the United Kingdom.

देश में पहली बार एक साथ 8 नाइजीरियन ठगों पर बड़ी कार्यवाही

कस्टम डिपार्टमेण्ट का अधिकारी बनकर देश के कोने-कोने में लोगों से साइबर ठगी करने वाले 8 नाइजीरियन नागरिकों को #UttarakhandPolice @UKCyberPolice द्वारा नई दिल्ली में पकड़ कर कानूनी कार्यवाही की गई।@ANINewsUP pic.twitter.com/FpDNDxi8kc

— उत्तराखण्ड पुलिस – Uttarakhand Police (@uttarakhandcops) June 25, 2023

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How The Crime Took Place

The investigation into the gang’s activities was initiated following a complaint by Reshma Dewan, who fell victim to their fraudulent scheme. Dewan received a call and chat messages from an individual claiming to be a UK resident. The impersonator, posing as a friend, contacted her on WhatsApp and later called from a fake Customs Department number, promising to send an expensive gift. Subsequently, they coerced her into paying Rs. 19 lakhs for the release of the supposed gift. The Cyber Crime Police Station registered an FIR (First Information Report) under different sections of IPC and the Information Technology Act.

One suspect was apprehended during the initial stages of the investigation, while seven others were arrested in Gali No. 7, Vipin Garden, Police Station Mohan Garden in New Delhi. Authorities have already initiated legal proceedings against them, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend additional members of the gang, including the alleged mastermind.

During the arrests, the police seized 21 mobile phones and five laptops, which the accused used to carry out their criminal activities throughout the country. It is estimated that the gang extorted money from multiple victims across India using various tools and techniques.

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Modus Operandi

The modus operandi of the cybercriminals involved purchasing virtual numbers and impersonating UK citizens to befriend unsuspecting individuals. After establishing a rapport, they would ask the victims to accept a parcel from the UK, subsequently calling them posing as customs officials. The fraudsters would threaten the victims with legal action for receiving untaxed gifts, coercing them into depositing money into different bank accounts to settle alleged taxes. The accused frequently changed their mobile phones and SIM cards, often acquiring new ones using fake identification documents.

According to authorities, the gang’s criminal activities extended beyond Uttarakhand, with registered cyber complaints in Seraikela (Jharkhand), Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu), Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and other states.

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Ayush Agarwal, the Senior Superintendent of Police of the STF in Uttarakhand, has urged the public to exercise caution when engaging with foreign nationals on platforms such as WhatsApp. He advised against falling for offers of lucrative opportunities, valuable gifts, pounds, fake websites, or unknown opportunities to double money and book tickets. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of verifying websites with local banks or relevant companies before making online payments and refraining from searching customer care numbers on Google. Any suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the nearest police station or the Cyber Crime Police Station. Victims of financial cybercrime can contact the helpline number 1930 for assistance.

To raise public awareness, the Cyber Crime Police have launched a campaign and shared a video on their cyber page to educate citizens about potential online scams and precautions they can take.

Key Highlights:

1. Eight Nigerian individuals accused of cybercrime have been successfully tried by the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand and the Cybercrime Police Station in Dehradun, marking the first time such a large number of defendants have been simultaneously prosecuted in the country.
2. The accused operated a cybercrime syndicate that targeted unsuspecting individuals across India by impersonating citizens of the United Kingdom.
3. The investigation began after a complaint by Reshma Dewan, who fell victim to the gang’s fraudulent scheme, where she was coerced into paying Rs. 19 lakhs for the release of a supposed gift.
4. One suspect was apprehended during the initial stages of the investigation, and seven others were arrested in New Delhi. Legal proceedings have begun, and a manhunt is underway to capture additional members of the gang, including the alleged mastermind.
5. The police seized 21 mobile phones and five laptops during the arrests, which were used by the accused for their criminal activities across the country.
6. The gang’s modus operandi involved impersonating UK citizens, befriending victims, and coercing them into depositing money to settle alleged taxes on untaxed gifts.
7. The gang’s criminal activities extended beyond Uttarakhand, with registered cyber complaints in various states across India.
8. Senior Superintendent of Police Ayush Agarwal has urged the public to exercise caution when engaging with foreign nationals on platforms like WhatsApp and to be wary of lucrative offers and unknown opportunities.
9. The Cyber Crime Police have launched a public awareness campaign and shared a video to educate citizens about online scams and precautions they can take.
10. Victims of financial cybercrime can seek assistance by contacting the helpline number 1930.

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