3 Nigerians arrested for duping people

Three Nigerians were arrested for allegedly duping people after opening fake profiles on matrimonial websites, police said Saturday.

The arrested have been identified as Franklyn Chinedu Uzowuihe (32), Ukegbu Emmawuel Chigozie (40) and Samuel Chizoba (34), they said.

The accused had created scores of fake profiles on different matrimonial websites and duped people, police said.

"Police received a complaint where the complainant had alleged that he was cheated by a group of unknown persons on the pretext of marriage through matrimonial website," Anyesh Roy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber), said.

The victim was induced by the accused persons to deposit around Rs 2.5 lakh in various bank accounts to get a gift, cleared from customs, which was supposedly sent for him from the UK, the police said.

Later, when he did not receive any parcel and the accused persons started asking for more money, he got suspicious and filed a case, they said.

The accused were arrested with the help of technical surveillance.

During interrogation it was revealed that, they had been staying illegally in India for over four years after their visas expired and have cheated dozens of people on the pretext of providing visa assistance, marriage inducement, foreign jobs.

Efforts are being made to identify their other victims, they added.