Indian Police arrest Nigerian woman for alleged fraud, impersonation

A 26-year-old Nigerian woman, Jacinta Okonowo Ofana has been arrested by the police in India for allegedly defrauding an Indian women as well as impersonating a Customs officer with the intent to commit crime.

According to Mumbai Mirror, Ofana was arrested by the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police in Delhiba on Saturday for allegedly defrauding a 34-year-old woman in Kurla of Rs 17.22 lakh by posing as a Customs officer.

In a police report, the suspect was also said to have defrauded several women of huge sums of money in the same way.

Police say Ofana’s latest victim who is a divorcee, had met a man on social media in August last year and the man introduced himself as Andrea Olivera from the United Kingdom.

The man claimed to be a pilot working in Russia.

The police statement reads:

“The two exchanged their numbers and started talking and after weeks of contact and dozens of conversations later, Olivera asked for her address to be sent to her on the pretext.

“Even after her reluctance to receive gifts, he insisted on sending her one. A few days later, Olivera told her he had sent her a gift and notes in foreign currency.

Read also: India approves use of two locally made COVID-19 vaccines

“A few days later, the victim received a call from a woman who identified herself as Ankita Sharma from Customs.

“She told her that there was a package for her from Russia, but she had to pay a customs clearance fee online. She told the victim that the box contained a gift and foreign currency worth Rs 65 lakh and that she would have to pay a fee and taxes to get her hands on the package.

“After paying Rs 17.22 lakh in multiple transactions, the woman realised she had been duped.

“She then approached VB Nagar police station and filed a complaint.

“Police soon identified the exact location of the caller, Ankita Sharma, in New Delhi.

“A team consisting of police sub-inspectors Jitendra Sapkale and Ambika Ghaste were sent to Delhi where they arrested Ofana, posing as Ankita Sharma, to mislead the victim.

“She used more than a dozen international and local SIM cards to trick women.”

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