The Cyber Crime Police of Cyberabad have arrested 12 persons, including a Nigerian for cheating a woman of Rs 9.59 lakh.
The fraudsters cheated the woman on pretext of charges for the release of a ‘Package’ addressed to her containing jewellery, travellers cheques, clothes and so on that was withheld by the Customs officials at Chatrapathi Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai for excess weight. This was reportedly sent by Smith Walter, who proposed to marry her after he found her profile on a matrimony portal.
The victim lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police of Cyberabad stating that in pursuit of finding a suitable match, she registered her details on shaadi.com in the last week. One Smith Walter expressed his interest and she accepted. After chatting with her through his number +16194688618 on WhatsApp, he gave his e-mail Id as smithwalter968@gmail.com and they exchanged a few emails.
The complainant stated that on October 31, she received an e-mail from Smith Walter mentioning of a ‘Package’ (containing expensive jewellery, travellers cheques, laptop, mobile phones, clothes, etc.,) that would be delivered through Errand Transport Express and the copy of the Airway Bill along with tracking Id was emailed to her. Between November 2 and 4, she received phone calls from one Kanika Sharma (Mobile No 9867411376) in the first week of this month, who introduced herself as an official with Customs Department at Chatrapathi Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. He stated that a package addressed to her was withheld due to excess weight and the victim was asked to pay Rs 42,500 for its release. Similarly, she was made to part with more money which amounted to Rs 9,59,500 citing several reasons and she transferred money to SBI and HDFC Bank accounts of Aman Akhtar Ansari Parsnal. When the victim was asked to pay more money, she got suspicious and approached police.
Acting on her complaint, the cyber police registered a case under appropriate provisions of IPC & IT Act. Finding prima facie evidence, the police arrested Mohd Shamshad alias Aman Akhtar Ansari Parsnal alias Aman Ansari Parsnal alias Aaqib Sheikh at Humayun Nagar along with six others, all from Bihar. During interrogation, they confessed to have opened Bank accounts in Mumbai and Hyderabad on the instructions of Md. Riayajuddin alias Krishna alias Munna and withdrew the money, handed over it to a Secunderabad-based Hawala agent and his associate. These two persons were apprehended. Cash of Rs 6,97,900 along with one Passport issued by the Federal Govt. of Nigeria, 49 ATM/Debit cards, 55 cheque books, 21 Bank Passbooks, 19 mobile phones, nine Voter-Id cards, 15 PAN cards, two Aadhaar cards and 27 loose cheque leaves were seized from the arrested accused, police said.
The case was investigated by K. Balakrishna Reddy, Inspector of Police, Cyber Crime PS, assisted by Sub-Inspectors K. Srinivas and D. Ashish Reddy under guidance of S. Jayram, Asst. Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crimes and supervision of Dr B. Naveen Kumar, I.P.S, OSD (Crimes), Cyberabad.
Cyberabad Commissioner of Police C. V. Anand, IPS, appreciated the efforts of Cyber Crime Police, Cyberabad, for the arrest of the accused. (NSS)