Three Nigerians have been arrested in Delhi for allegedly defrauding an Indian woman of over ₹2.62 lakh, with each suspect facing a minimum of three years imprisonment if convicted.
The suspects, identified as Lezhu John, Gibril Mohammed, and Egboola Ekena, were apprehended by the Indian cybercrime police following investigations into the case.
The trio allegedly operated a cybercrime racket that targeted individuals across India.
According to The Times of India, the latest complaint was filed by a woman who connected with one of the suspects on Instagram.
It was reported gathered that the suspects have not yet been formally charged, but they face prosecution under India’s Information Technology Act (IT Act, 2000) and the Indian Penal Code.
Section 66D of the IT Act stipulates, “Whoever, by means of any communication device or computer resource, cheats by personation shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to a fine.”
The police said the suspects used fake social media profiles to deceive their victims. Numerous photographs of men and women were found on their mobile devices, allegedly used for creating these fraudulent accounts.
ACP (Cybercrime) Vadodara, M.M. Rajput, disclosed that the suspects utilized over 500 bank accounts for their operations, which have resulted in over 900 complaints filed nationwide.
The latest victim claimed that one of the suspects introduced himself as “Sohn Yunmin,” a chemical engineer from the United States.
He allegedly promised to relocate to Assam for work. Through a growing online friendship, the victim was persuaded to send financial assistance and a gift.
“In April, the suspect told the woman he needed money to buy machinery, as his friend could not pay. She transferred ₹50,000. Later, a woman claiming to be named Niharika contacted her, asking for ₹35,500 to release a parcel containing US dollars. The victim eventually transferred ₹1.69 lakh after repeated demands but soon realized she had been duped,” the police stated.
Authorities tracked the suspects through the bank transactions linked to the fraud. Investigations revealed a wide network of victims and fraudulent activities across India.
While the exact timeline for formal charges remains unclear, the case highlights the rising threat of cybercrime in India and the sophistication of fraud schemes targeting unsuspecting individuals.
