PANJIM: The Crime Branch (CB) sleuths arrested a Nigerian national for allegedly defrauding a Facebook user of Rs 5.16 lakh approx. Onuorah Donatus Jideoffor, 28-year-old, under false name Dr Steve Jose had befriended a woman Facebook user only to cheat her of the lump sum amount.
Jodeoffor, residing in Delhi, was arrested from his temporary residential address by the Goa CB team, the CB informed reporters.
The victim’s husband had approached the Cyber Crime Cell alleging that a man named Steve Jose, who befriended her on FB, had sent a “surprise birthday gift” from UK for which they had to pay the Customs fee in Delhi.
While the couple initially avoided the calls, Jodeoffor aka Jose insisted that she pays the fee failing which either him or she would be in problem. “…my wife initially not paid any attention to his calls, feeling like fake calls of fraudsters, however, thereafter in some days again received similar calls giving details of Delhi custom office and from Jose forcing to pay the amount or he will have financial loss due to us, which he has spend on said parcel,” reads an extract of the complaint copy.
It was after several communications, the impostor informed the woman that he had parcelled from UK “gold and some pounds (UK currency). “My wife got shocked that someone in their name has sent such parcel without their intimation, however as she feel it is fraud still she has not agreed to follow instructions given by caller or Steve Jose,” it further said adding, “Thereafter she has receive repeated calls saying that from the customs Dept of Delhi and thereafter from Dr Steve Jose, who has inform somehow we have to release it or will be a big problem for him or for us being land us in big penalty from Customs Dept, which he informed that we will liable for heavy fine for not clearing the same and even we have to pay the same as it was in our name.”
Afraid of possible action from the Customs, the victim transferred the amount on different dates in the month of September 2020. It was hereafter they realised the so-called UK-based Jose had cheated the couple on pretext of Customs clearance. The accused had also threatened of consequences if the money was not transferred.
The CB based on the leads during the complaint’s enquiry zeroed-in on Jodeoffor. He will soon be brought to Goa for investigation.
