The arrest came while investigating a fraud case registered by an Aligarh resident, Bhagwati Dutt Sharma, who lost Rs 31 to such conmen.
Aligarh Police in Uttar Pradesh, India, have arrested two Nigerians, John Bull and Marvellous, alongside a local woman identified as Samir for duping hundreds of Indians by conning them through friendship on social media and then pretending to send expensive gifts to them.
The arrest came while investigating a fraud case registered by an Aligarh resident, Bhagwati Dutt Sharma, who lost Rs 31 to such conmen.
The police said that Nigerians have duped many Indian through the same modus-operandi and were living in India on expired visas.
The kingpins had made fake visas and were involved in cybercrime.
According to the police, the Nigerians befriend victims on social media especially Facebook by posing as a businessman from the United Kingdom or other European countries.
“Gang members chatted with the victim for a few months. When the gang gauges that they have gained the victim’s trust then they tell them that they are sending some gifts—few dollars, an expensive phone and some jewellery,” said an officer investigating the case.
“Then a few days later, the victim gets a call from another conman who identifies himself as a customs officer from Delhi Airport asking for duty to get the gift parcel released.
“Once the victim is under their trap, conmen trick them to pay money on the pretext of the processing fee, customs duty, documentation and other charges. But, till the time they find out that they have been duped it gets too late.”