Vinoba Bhave Nagar police have arrested a Nigerian woman from Delhiba for allegedly cheating on a 34-year-old woman in Kurla of Rs 17.22 lakh by posing as a customs officer.
According to police, Jacinta Okonowo Ofana, 26, cheated on several other women in the same way.
Kurla’s resident, a divorcee, had met a man on social media in August last year who introduced himself as Britain’s Andrea Olivera.
He claimed he was a pilot by trade and currently works in Russia.
Soon the two exchanged their numbers and started talking. After weeks of contact and dozens of conversations later, Olivera asked for her address to be sent to her on the pretext. Even after her reluctance to receive gifts, he insisted on sending her one. A few days later, Olivera told her he had sent her a gift and notes in foreign currency.
A few days later, the victim received a call from a woman who identified herself as Ankita Sharma from Customs. She told her that there was a package for her from Russia, but she had to pay a customs clearance fee online. She told the victim that the box contained a gift and foreign currency worth Rs 65 lakh and that she would have to pay a fee and taxes to get her hands on the package.
After paying Rs 17.22 lakh in multiple transactions, the woman realised she had been duped, Mumbaimirror reports
She then approached VB Nagar police station and filed a complaint.
Police soon identified the exact location of the caller, Ankita Sharma, in New Delhi.
A team consisting of police sub-inspectors Jitendra Sapkale and Ambika Ghaste were sent to Delhi where they arrested Ofana, posing as Ankita Sharma, to mislead the victim.
She used more than a dozen international and local SIM cards to trick women, a police officer said.
