The suspects identified as Chukwuma Collins, 35, and Nicodemus Obinn, 27, used to befriend people on Facebook and then ask for money to send “necessary items” to their family members in UK.
Police said that the two used to cook up stories about the poor conditions of their family members living in western countries and ask the victims to help them with money. After receiving the money they broke all contact with the victims. Both have been involved in several cases of fraud and an FIR was registered against them in Goa cyber crime cell.
Bridget Fernandes Rai, a victim made a complaint to Goa Police, claiming to have been cheated of around Rs 8 lakh by the duo. She said that she had befriended Collins on Facebook and after a few days of chatting he started calling her.
Rai told the police that Collins started referring to her as his sister and asked for Rs 8 lakh to transfer some money and jewellery through a courier to his relatives. He claimed that the courier was stuck in legal processes at the customs department in Goa and he needed to get it delivered quickly as his wife had expired.
During interrogation, the duo claimed that they had arrived in India five years ago for business and then started cheating people using different techniques. Both accused were produced in a Dwarka court and taken on a transit remand by Goa Police.
