2 Nigerians arrested in India over Internet love scam

isaac dachen

October 13, 2015 5:37 PM

Two Nigerians have been arrested in India for allegedly defrauding a woman with the promise of marriage.

Another set of Nigerians have tarnished the image of the country in India

The Cyberabad Police in New Delhi, India, has arrested two Nigerians as the prime suspects,Udunna Chukwuma Collins and Adebayo Olabanji, in an international Internet love scam after a woman lodged a complaint that the scammed her of the sum of Rs 5.4 lakh, (about N1.6m), reports Indian Times.

According to the Cyberabad Police, the woman lodged a complaint in August stating that she had registered her details with 'Simply Marry,' a matrimonial website, where she met Collins who promised to marry her, only for him to connive with Olabanji and six others to dupe her of her money.

Read: "Good For You: Vietnamese court sentence Nigerian to jail over love scam"

The woman told the police that she got a marriage proposal from a member of the same portal by name Garry Philles and both of them exchanged their email IDs and discussed about themselves and their families.

Unknown to her, the man posing as Garry Philles and told her he worked as a civil consultant with Delhi Metro and needed to return to Florida, US, after his contract was over in March this year, was Collins who is seen as the prime accused.

Read: "Marriage Of Convenience: 'My Nigerian husband only married me for visa' - British woman"

"The accused showed genuine interest in meeting her and her parents and offered to come to Hyderabad before leaving for the US and to settle the marriage proposal.

In April this year, the woman travelled to UK and asked 'Garry' to meet her there, but he gave an excuse not to meet her. They finally decided to meet in India after the woman returned in June.

However, Collins called her and informed that he came to India but was detained by Customs officers on his return for carrying huge cash, gift articles and other valuables.

He contacted the victim over phone and made her believe that if she did not pay the money, a case will be registered against him and also her.

That was when Adebayo came into the picture and contacted the victim, posing as a RBI officer and allegedly made her to deposit Rs 5.4lakh into the bank accounts provided by the remaining accused," the police said.

During course of investigation, a police team nabbed the eight Nigerians on October 8 from Delhi.

On verification, none of the accused persons were found to possess valid original travel documents, the statement said.

isaac dachen