Gift Scam in Chennai: Nigerian National Befriends Woman on Matrimonial Site, Dupes Her of Rs 10 Lakh; Arrested
A 33-year-old Nigerian man was arrested for cheating a woman of Rs 10.33 lakh in a gift scam. The man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh and brought to the city on Saturday by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the police.
Chennai, October 9: A 33-year-old Nigerian man was arrested for cheating a woman of Rs 10.33 lakh in a gift scam. The man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh and brought to the city on Saturday by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the police. The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and IT Act.
As per the New Indian Express report, the accused was identified as Thankgod Chukwuemeka Ikedinobi. As per the police, the accused befriended the victim from Ayanavaram through a matrimonial site. The report said the accused used a fake Indian name and claimed to be a businessman from Belgium. He proposed to her and agreed to meet her in the city. Later, he told her that he was sending high-end, expensive gifts. The victim received a call from a customs official who demanded she pay a fine to get the gifts released, as they had been seized for nonpayment of customs duties. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Malad Woman Becomes Victim of ‘Gift Scam’, Loses Over Rs 3 Lakh.
She paid a total of Rs 10.33 lakh to various bank accounts as instructed by the officer. However, the woman realised that she was conned when she did not receive the gifts after a few days of payments. Following this, she lodged a police complaint. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Private Bank VP Duped of Rs 4 Lakh After Fraudster Impersonates His Boss in WhatsApp Scam To Send Gift Vouchers.
Acting on a complaint, the police traced the bank accounts used in the scam to Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and South Delhi as a part of the investigation. They found that these accounts were opened using fake names and addresses. The accused, who contacted the woman using a mobile number, was traced to Uttar Pradesh. A police team from the city went there and arrested him. The police recovered eight mobile phones, one laptop, and three debit cards from the accused. Further investigation is ongoing.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2023 04:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).