7 Nigerians, Ghanaians Arrested, to Face Trial for Defrauding 350 Victims in India

• The Punjab State police authority in India has revealed how Nigerian and Ghanaian nationals carry out illicit activities in India
• Senior Superintendent of Police, Harmandeep Singh Hans said the suspects between ages 25 and 35, allegedly used fake social media profiles to befriend Indian and foreign nationals
• Also, India Police revealed that the "scammers" also targeted fellow Nigerian citizens, deceiving them with fake job offers in India

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Seven Nigerian and Ghanaian nationals are set to face trial in India after allegedly defrauding over 350 victims of more than $94,000 (in dollar terms), the Punjab State police authority disclosed.

Scammer defrauded victims of over $94,000 - India police

The suspects, all male and aged between 25 and 35, were arrested by the Mohali Cyber Crime Cell of the Punjab Police during a sting operation that dismantled what officials described as an "international fraud syndicate".

As reported by The Indian Express, the accused had been operating from a rented apartment in Noida, where they allegedly set up a fake call centre to run their fraudulent activities.

During the raid, the police recovered a substantial haul, including 79 smartphones, four laptops (two of which were Apple MacBooks), 99 SIM cards (both Indian and foreign), and documents linked to 31 fake bank accounts.

The total value of the seized items was estimated at around 30 lakh Rupee, while bank transactions linked to the gang amounted to approximately 15 crore, equivalent to over $94,000.

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Harmandeep Singh Hans, confirmed the arrests and said:

“The accused allegedly used fake social media profiles to befriend Indian and foreign nationals.

“They would promise expensive gifts from abroad and later claim that customs had held the parcel, demanding money under the guise of clearance fees or taxes.”

Also, DSP Rupinderdeep Kaur Sohi, who led the operation, said:

“The house from which they operated was rented by a Nigerian woman, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

“The suspects also opened bank accounts in private banks, and we are investigating the names on the accounts and how they procured the SIM cards.”

She further disclosed that the syndicate did not limit its fraud to Indian nationals alone.

“The scammers also targeted fellow Nigerian citizens, deceiving them with fake job offers in India,” Sohi added.

Suspects to face trial

As reported by The Punch, the suspects were presented before a Mohali court and had been remanded in police custody for two days to aid further investigation.

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Nigerian arrested over alleged $600,000 romance scam

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Canadian Police arrested a Nigerian national, Chimezie Nwabueze, on April 28, 2025, for allegedly defrauding victims of over $600,000 through a romance scam.

The 28-year-old suspect, who claimed to own an oil rig in the Middle East, reportedly convinced victims to send him money between 2021 and 2023 before severing contact.

Nwabueze, who was previously arrested in 2023 for a similar $250,000 fraud, was charged with multiple offences including fraud, money laundering, and participation in organised crime.

Source: Legit.ng