A major cyber fraud racket allegedly operated by three African nationals has been busted by the Rajkot Rural Cyber Crime Police following a detailed investigation that led officers to Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The accused allegedly cheated a Gujarat farmer of ₹6.31 lakh through a carefully planned online romance and parcel scam.
Police have arrested Josephine Yaa Ansah alias Angel (28), a Ghanaian national, Mgengeli Imani Denis (22) from Tanzania, and Philip Batista Joseph Valentine (23) from South Sudan. The three were brought to Jasdan on a transfer warrant after being traced during the investigation.
According to police, all three accused had overstayed in India after their visas expired and are believed to have continued criminal activities to delay deportation.
Romance Scam Began on Facebook
Police said the fraud began in May 2026 when the victim, a farmer, accepted a Facebook friend request from a woman using the name “Mary M Samuel.”
The woman claimed she was the CEO of an overseas real estate company. After establishing contact on Facebook, she shifted the conversation to WhatsApp and remained in regular communication with the victim.
During the conversations, she introduced herself as a grieving widow trying to rebuild her life and gradually developed an emotional relationship with the farmer. She even expressed her desire to marry him, earning his trust.
Fake International Parcel Used to Trap Victim
After gaining the victim’s confidence, the woman told him that she was sending an expensive surprise parcel for her daughter’s birthday.
Under the pretext of shipping formalities, she collected the farmer’s residential address and government identity documents.
Soon afterward, another member of the gang allegedly contacted the victim pretending to be an official from Delhi Airport Customs. The caller claimed that the parcel had arrived in India but could only be released after payment of customs and clearance charges.
The fraudsters claimed the parcel contained:
€30,000 in cash
A gold chain
A laptop
A wristwatch
An iPhone
Believing the story, the victim transferred money in multiple instalments.
Farmer Loses ₹6.31 Lakh
According to investigators, the victim was persuaded to pay ₹6.31 lakh through several transactions. The accused allegedly demanded money under different pretexts, including:
Customs duty
Currency conversion charges
Parcel clearance fees
The payments continued until the victim realised that the promised parcel never arrived.
Investigation Leads Police to Greater Noida
After repeated demands for more money and the non-delivery of the parcel, the farmer verified that the courier company mentioned by the fraudsters did not actually exist. He then filed a cyber fraud complaint on the national cybercrime portal on June 2, 2026.
Based on the complaint, Rajkot Range Cyber Crime Police registered a case under Sections 318(4), 61(2), 319(2) and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Investigators carried out extensive technical analysis, examining social media accounts, mobile numbers, WhatsApp records, banking transactions and IP routing data.
The digital evidence eventually led police to Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, where the suspects were traced and arrested.
How the Gang Operated
Police said the syndicate had clearly defined roles. According to the investigation, Josephine Yaa Ansah, the only woman among the accused, allegedly targeted male victims through social media by posing as a widow seeking companionship.
After victims developed emotional trust, the two male accomplices allegedly handled the financial side of the operation by arranging rented bank accounts, coordinating money transfers and withdrawing the cheated funds.
Passports, Phones and SIM Cards Seized
During the operation, police seized:
Three mobile phones
Three passports
Active SIM cards
Other digital evidence
Preliminary investigations revealed that two accused had originally entered India on student visas, while the third had entered on a short-term visa. All of their visas had expired before the operation, according to police.
Bank Accounts Frozen, Probe Continues
Cyber Crime Police Station Inspector Ravi Godham said investigators have so far frozen 15 bank accounts linked to the syndicate, preventing the withdrawal of approximately ₹78,000.
Police are now trying to identify the middlemen who supplied rented bank accounts to the accused and are also searching for the individual who allegedly impersonated a Delhi Customs officer during the scam.
Police Warn Public Against Online Romance Scams
The case highlights how cybercriminals increasingly use fake identities on social media to build emotional relationships before targeting victims financially.
Police have advised people to remain cautious while accepting friend requests from unknown individuals, avoid sharing personal documents with strangers online, and verify claims involving international parcels or customs payments before transferring money.
The investigation is continuing as authorities work to identify other members of the syndicate and trace additional financial links connected to the fraud.
Also Read: Waiting For Your Tax Refund? Beware Of Fake Income Tax Notices On WhatsApp https://www.vibesofindia.com/fake-income-tax-whatsapp-messages-refund-scam-cyber-alert/
