Nigerian gang arrested for online fraud

Hyderabad: Five members of a Nigerian gang operating from Mumbai were arrested by Cyberabad police for cheating a city- based man in the name of raw material for cancer medicine. They cheated the victim to the tune of Rs 26 lakhs.

According to police, a Facebook contact lured the victim claiming to be a resident of UK. He offered him to do business of 'cocodyma potogia dry nut' used in manufacturing cancer curing drug.

After several discussions, the accused could lure the victim and gave reference of one ‘Anitha Sharma’ from where the raw material could be procured and which if sold in UK would fetch multifold profit.

The victim contacted the said Anitha over phone and email. The victim agreed to buy the dry nuts and deposited money in various banks as directed by her. He was satisfied after the first sample he received allegedly got approval from a UK-based pharma company. Later, the victim ordered 25 sachets for which Anitha asked him to pay through RTGS (online transaction) and promised to deliver the cocodyma potogia dry nuts.

“However, after payment of Rs 26 lakh, she demanded 10 lakh more and threatened to stop consignment. When victim refused to pay more, culprit stopped communication. Feeling cheated, he requested us to take necessary action,” said Janaki Sharmila, DCP, Crimes (Cyberabad).

During investigation, the Cyberabad police deputed a team to Mumbai to get clues and to apprehend the accused persons. The team went to Shiragaon, Raigad district of Maharashtra to verify the beneficiary account holder of SBI.

This led to the accused persons, Naagbo Benson Orayjuka, Neharika alias Noori Deep Oroyjuka, Nilesh Umesh Kumar, Anaya Linus Egwuchulewu and Vchena Fidelis Vqwu of Nigeria.

The police recovered the incriminating material of evidence and remanded the accused to judicial custody.