Nigerian Man Arrested in Delhi for Rs 31.48 Lakh Online Seed Scam

Cybercrime police have arrested a Nigerian national, Okafor Kingsley Nweke, in connection with a major online scam where a local businessman was cheated out of Rs 31.48 lakh.

The victim, Rahul Jogi, a 41-year-old saree manufacturer, filed a complaint on March 29 after being tricked into placing fake agricultural seed orders through social media and WhatsApp.

According to police, Jogi first received a message on Facebook Messenger on October 25, 2024, from someone claiming to work for a private firm interested in buying agricultural seeds from India. Seeing an opportunity for export business, Jogi responded to the message.

The scammer provided convincing company details and contact numbers, connecting Jogi with a fake seed supplier who quoted Rs 62,936 for 100 grams of seeds. Jogi made an initial payment on November 14, followed by another the next day. He received 300 grams of seeds, which made the deal look genuine.

Later, a person named “Mr. Smith” joined the conversation and convinced Jogi to place a much larger order of 2,500 grams, followed by another order for 29 packets. Over time, Jogi transferred a total of Rs 31.49 lakh to the scammer's bank account.

The fraud came to light when Jogi was asked to place yet another order for 71 packets. This made him suspicious, and he reported the matter to cybercrime police.

Inspector JM Kaila said the accused used high-end gadgets, multiple email accounts, and several WhatsApp numbers to run the scam. Nweke, who has been living in India since 2014-15, often posed as different people to trick his victims.

The police are still investigating the bank accounts used in the fraud and suspect more people could be involved.

The case highlights the growing threat of cyber fraud and the need for extra caution when dealing with unknown contacts online.