Bangalore: Nigerian Online Fraudster Lands in Police Net


Bangalore: Nigerian Online Fraudster Lands in Police Net

Bangalore, Aug 9 (DHNS): The Kerala police have arrested a Nigerian national, a member of the notorious ‘419’ fraudsters or ‘Nigerian bank fraudsters’ who have duped several people in South India of crores of rupees through an email racket. 

The 34-year-old Nigerian, who claims his name is Shaba Abdul Razak, was taken into custody at the Bangalore airport on Thursday after a month-long operation with the support of the police in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. He was brought to Kannur and arrested on Saturday after two days of interrogation.

Disclosing this to newspersons in Kannur on Saturday, Inspector General of Police Tomin Thachankary said the racket had extracted at least Rs 3 crore from victims belonging to these states. Razak was arrested following investigations into a complaint lodged by Shareef, a non-resident Keralite working in Qatar and hailing from Valapattanam in Kannur.

The scam originated in an email message received by Shareef in February 2008 from a mail ID purportedly from the Bank of Africa. The sender informed Shareef that he had been chosen to inherit a fortune of $15 million left by a millionaire and that he should reach the African city of Burkina Faso to receive it.

When Shareef pleaded his inability to make the trip, he got a reply saying that a financial attorney had been appointed to oversee the transfer of the amount. A few email exchanges were enough for the fraudsters to win the confidence of Shareef and he was asked to send 29,500 euros through the Western Union Money Transfer as attorney fee.

According to Thachankary, Shareef sent them up to 80,000 euros from time to time believing the excuses they offered every time.

Two members of the racket, including Razak, even came to Shareef’s house with bundles of blackened US dollars and said this was done to avoid being caught by the customs officials. It was only then that Shareef grew suspicious and registered a complaint. 

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Johny, Arizona,U.S.A

    Thu, Sep 03 2009

    Why should he be hanged for the greed & stupidity of Shereef,  I got these kind of emails all the time but ignored them.Just throw that punk ass motherfucker in prison till he turn 60,he''s done.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Mr Augustine Daniel DSouza, Udupi/Vasai Virar/Kuwait

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    THANK YOU DAIJIWORLD, PLEASE HANG HIM TO DEATH THIS NIGERIAN MAN IMMDIATELY.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Suleman, Udupi

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    Most South Africans are famous for illegal activities like drug,smuggling and the above scams. Police should keep eye on such people movements. Readers... some times the email comes with beautiful picture as daughter of a rich business man. How nice if it would have been real.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Oliver, Bijai - AUH

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    Dear Readers, A Simple and Benchmark Motto of mine...NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE, APART FROM THIS LIFE WE ARE LIVING & THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE, ARE ALL FREE GIFTS FROM GOD. All tra''s in life COST MONEY.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    These people, mainly from Nigeria will do any dirty trick to cheat others. They will print the draft of an international bank and cheat others to buy goods. Any e-mail with great offer from unknown people are simply a cheating game. Thousand of old and unsuspecting people have been cheated in the U.S. too as easy target of this conning. Greed will force people to this trap.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • lance shenoy, mangaore/qatar

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    Will you not want free money? definitely not. There is nothing called free money. Certainly there will be some strings attached to these offers. Moral of the story is, stay way from greed and be happy with your hard earned money. thank you

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rudolph, Belgaum/Virginia USA

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    I feel sorry for those who are greedy to make money the easy way. People all over the world have burnt their fingers in this scam. Hats off to the Nigerians who sold a story that the gullible bought, and are now regretting. Madoff in the USA made $65 billion in his ponzi scheme and is now languishing in jail. If you have money to spare, send it to charity, or to me and I will surely thank you for the same.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Edwin, Karnataka

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    It has taken me three years to educate one elderly person on this subject - who has loads of other business sense. It always tickles me and makes me think twice before deleting such email even though I know for sure that it is scam and spam! What do you think a lay person will do who believes emails to be harmless piece of shit?!?!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Wilfred Crasta, Kasaragod/Jeddah

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    These people have many different stories. Few months back I saved a Saudi colleague of mine from sending 6500 Saudi riyals to these kind of people. They fooled promised him a job in UK with very high salary and asked processing fees.

    The display names of the email sent by them was some hospital names of London, but actually those were hotmail email address. This made me suspicious and warned my friend. I searched the number of those hospital through internet. He called the hospital and confirmed those people were cheaters. So friends, be aware, wealth comes only by hardworking.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Thomas Pascal Andrade, Mangalore / Toronto

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    I receive this kind of email every second day. Most of those crooks are from Nigeria, which is the most corrupt country in the world. Normally they target people from the Mid-East Countries. They write it in such a way that they don''t trust you and this way you start trusting them.

    A person with little common sense would definitely come to know that it is nothing but cheating. We have to think how an unknown person can send mail to us and trust us when millions of dollars are at stake. These crooks have been successful in duping many Arabs and foreigners in the Gulf Countries. Recently I read a news article that even in Canada many people have fallen prey to these fraudsters.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Girish Kamath, Mangalore / Dubai

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    Even Shareef is to be blamed here. He too was greedy and was doing something not within the protocol. Now if everything went well Shareef would have acted to be a nice man and continued. Use of common sense is most important here. There are lot of fraud cases happening this way through emails.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • John Pinto, chickmagalur/ Qatar

    Mon, Aug 10 2009

    Thanks to Daiji World for bringing this news . Many poor people get trapped by such Cheaters. A News like this makes an awareness to most of the innocent people .

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sourya Prakasha, Permude

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    One of the comments: "Hang this cheat. ...." If fools dont go to the market then who will buy the bad things/products?!! Every seller cannot be hanged !

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Lucky, M''lore/Dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Feels realy sad & pitty, who were trapped in this racket. Guys, please use common sence before wishing to become rich overnight. why on earth who wants to donate or if you have won some lottery wants your money in advance. If they want to give money, let them deduct the money required to register or transfer the fund before sending.

    Even today Ii got a call saying that I have won a big amount from Etisalat & asked me to call back & not to inform this news to anyone. I told him why dont you donate this money to some poor instead of sending the big money to me. He got upset & started abusing me. I replied back saying that the police will be soon arresting you. He discontected the line.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • WRDmello, Mangalore\Dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I think this is a very good move because even 1½ year back I got cheated this type of email and I lost my valuable amount and even today while I m thinking that movement I m getting scaring.... and I m requesting all readers that pls pls if you got any emails which says about lottery and money dont reply or first you verify that email specially the email coming from unknown person or Africa region. I think this guy is a not only one person its a big big racket. I think the police did good job.... lets see the result

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Megha, Udipi/Dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Vinitha, the article clearly says that the fraudsters first asked Shareef to transfer Euro 29,500/- which is already a big amount. Then finally Shareef says that he has till date transferred euros 80,000/- which is almost half a million dirhams. Why did he transfer Euros the 2nd and third time according to their demands? Why did he not discuss this with someone. Yes anyone would like free money but when one is demanded to give money then that does not become free and that is when a question mark should be put.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Uday Shetty, Udupi, Doha

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I totally agree with you Mr Sheikh Ashrafulla, Bengaluru. There are lots of fraud e-mails circulating over the net almost for more than a decade but people still get fooled by fraudsters. I receive almost weekly basis one or the other type of fraud mails. Like some millionaire left money, or your email has won lottery, you have ed for job in Shell, help for cancer patient, orphaned daughter of millionaire seeking assistance so on. Since we dont have common forum people still get cheated.

    Why cant we put all the mails we received/receiving to a common forum, I request permission of Daiji, so that we can use some flatform to keep the people about forms of emails.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Vineetha, UAE/M''lore

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Mr.Ronnie D''sa since you were alert on this issue you might have not got fooled so not necessary to call another person fool they have not asked you for money nor have you given any charity for them to spend on the same it is their hard earned money they have lost & that''s why they regret . Mr. Najam , Mr.Abdul Rehman and Mr.Ronnie D''sa who does not want free money ???

    Will you not want ??? If given a chance will you not go for it ? Dear readers "WRITE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE" is written in BOLD and in normal simple ENGLISH and not on "PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR OPINIONS" ...

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Joel Fernandes, Mangalore/Dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    IGP Tomin being an Extra-ordinarily talented Musician apart from being an IGP will now require to play some good score on these guys. Make them face police music IGP Tomin. I had read on Daiji a few days back about a doctor who was duped too. Guys money come no easy. Work hard at the sweat of your brow and you''ll be content.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Megha, Udipi/Dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Nobody is a fool in today''s world. Even if you toil day and night it is not possible to make such money so which fool on earth will give you such money free. It is only greed that makes one a fool. I used to get many such Nigerian emails and usually used to them but I thought I should put an end to this nonsense. So the next time I got an email saying that I was the lucky chosen one, and inorder to get the winning money, I am supposed to send them a sum of USD100,000/- and my bank account details.

     I replied to them that with regards to the transfer of USD100,000/-, to deduct this from my winning amount and balance to send a DD in my name (I made up some name, account number and address) as I knew this was a scam. Believe me till date I have not received the next email from anyone which means this group is networking. So the moral is we should be smart and not greedy when we get such emails or SMS.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • RON , dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    This Shareef is real fool to give away so much big amount , these type of mails everybody getting now. Any how frauds caught this time.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • jasun, Mangalore. UAE

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Dear Readers, Not only African even some of Indians are also indulged this kind of activiteis in different mode. like provideing some kind of services. to avail services you need to pay membership fees. once you pay it then they start asking to pay more money. but finally you will not get anything. please beware of it

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Pratap Lokesh, Mangalore/Nizwa

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Thank you Daijiworld for this news. It would be an eye-opener for a many a people who are duped by these fraudsters. They send out mails in fictitious names like "Adam Smith", "John Keynes", "Robert Malthus" etc. Believe me or not, thousands of people fall for this and lose their hard earned money. There are still who do not learn a lesson despite losing money like this. They think it is the will of God!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Abdul Rahman, Manjeshwar/Jeddah

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    You are right Mr. Najam Batrekere, Bajpe. "ATI AASE GATI GEDU"

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • ronnie dsa, kundapur

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Anyone who expects to get FREE money that too in millions of DOLLARS is not only a DUMB FOOL but actually deserves to be fooled because he is a stamped FOOL,like almost all the fools who admited being fooled in the messages.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • C yril D''Cunha, UAE.

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    People will even attach a copy of demand draft in your favour. All bogus, be careful. Few weeks back a cancer patient lady from US requests me to send a copy of Holy Bible. It is her last wish to read the same before death. On curiosity I called her given Tel No. and a young male voice replied me " Daddy, she is no more, send me some money through Western Union, require to pay hospital and funeral expences".(Looks like a joke but true).

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Vineetha, UAE/M''lore

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Hang this cheat. I responded for such mail once got trapped lost AED 3500,nearly Rs.45000/ by sending it through Western Union ,and later realized but no point in regretting ,every one learns by their mistakes.Good that this cheat was caught at the right time or else many more would suffer.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • shaikh ashrafullah, bengaluru

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    As most of the readers commented, this type of fraud schemes existed long before. While there is no single forum where all such fradulent schemes can be posted for all of us to learn or become aware of,it is only impending on all of us to use our greatest gift from God, ie, "common Sense" and "presence of mind''. If we use these, then, we all can be saved from falling prey to such fraud schemes.

    Also, solicit views and advice from friends, experts and relatives, before commiting to such schemes, which will prove very beneficial. Although Mr. Sharif lost money, he may have lost his life, had he visited Nigeria, thereby falling into the trap of a well organized Nigerian fraudsters.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • M I Veigas, Ullal/Qatar

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Same old story, still people trapping in this kind of scam unbelievable. Me too receiving lots of e-mails to claim millions of dollars prize money from lottery that my mobile number won and wealth left by a wealthy businessman - strangely from African countries. I replied in a funny way and not transferred money to them. Be careful!! And don’t think to become a millionaire with in a short period of time

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • taz, m''lore/dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    There is one more thing happening in dubai now a days i am sure many people from dubai might have got this call... a pakistani national calls from an ETISALAT mobile number and starts this way in Hindi - Sir you have been chosen randomly by etisalat and you have won 100,000dhs please give me your bank details and he goes on like that….

    After every thing he tells you to transfer 1250dhs through mobile to his mobile as some fee …. All most every 1 in my office got call’s like this…. And one more thing they are targeting only labor class people so that they can make fool out of them……

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • sarat, thalasserry

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I also recieved a message from this kind of cheaters. But I did not respond. Just who have common sense will not respond this kind of messages sarath thalasserry

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Najam Batrekere, Bajpe

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Its very old scam.... everybody knows in the Gulf. unfortunately still people get trapped "ATI AASE GATI GEDU"

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Shakib Ahmed, Mangalore/Saudi Arabia

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I get a lot of mail of such kind. I responded for such mail once to know the fact. Those people use to call me everyday through internet (so that their number wouldn''t be traced) and ask me to transfer money. but Ii didnt. Now most of the people know that Africans are running such racket.

    These days they started sending mails from different parts of the world like Malaysia, Indonesia and China. Dear friends please be careful while dealing with strangers.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Reyan, Farwania

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Now police have to find out that this Nigerian National may link to any terrorist group. These money can be used as Money Laundrering. Police have to work much and more in this case!!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh Kumar, Mangalore/Riyadh

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I feel pity for Mr.Shareef, how come a person from Kerala get fooled so quickly? Perhaps he has lot of illegal money and just tried his luck on this venture. These types of African Scams are well known all around the world. To know about such scams please visit "www.419scam.org".

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sattar, Kasargod

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    If Mr.Shareef got that $15 million from this Nigerians, do you think he will give it to the public ? Ask him, what he would have done with that money ? Ask the same question to all who are trapped in the scam too.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • shahnawaz kukkikatte, dubai/udupi

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I think sharif lost his illegal wealth to these fraudesters. Such emails and some phone calls are very common in middle east and people want to become rich overnight without any hardwork and efforts. Greediness has led sharif to lose a huge amount. Still no regrets. These poor Africans dont have basic amneties, how come they donate such huge amount to a third country national? Kudos to police Great job and appreciated.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Ravi, Mangalore

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Mr.Sattar  how you can guess Shareef sent to them is not his hard earned money, but made from wrong business...it might had happen to anyone..So never play a blame game!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sattar, Kasargod

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Shareef is a fool to respond to such e-mails. In our office we get atleast 3 such e-mails, which straight away goes to the trash bin. The money Shareef sent to them is not his hard earned monery, but made from wrong business, otherwise he would have thought twice before trusting somebody''s words that "he had been chosen to inherit a fortune of $15 million left by a millionaire and that he should reach the African city of Burkina Faso to receive it". Shareef, if you still have more money to spend, use common sense before venturing into a business, otherwise stop crying.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • bilal, dubai/mlore

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    This is the Tip of the Ice berg .They send you different emails just to please you. I have 10 to 15 different formats of emails received from them. Originating from Africa. Please be aware no matter you receive email from any source promising big returns in few days 100 % chance is there it is fraud. Starting with a new topic and new mail address every second day.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh - Victim of Fraud, udupi

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Hang him immediately.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • abubakar uk, ubar/abudhabi

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Honestly i don''t(neverever) feel pity / sorry for shareef instead hate only.anyone can guess why so...can anyone say if some unknown person requested this shareef (name not matching to his charactor)to help a poor / needy human being,would he help them without knowing the fact about the requester? then how come he believed completely them when they offer huge amount??? is it possible in this selfish world to get huge amount of money for nothing?

    I don''t know who is shareef and I don''t have any grudge too, but I just wonder and hate his act.let he be a good example for those who wish to get free money from unknown... shareef maaf karo for harsh comments, sorry.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Babu Khan, Katpadi, Saudi Arabia

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    I, like many people, get these types of e-mail everyday. This is a worldwide scam and when they send out 100 e-mail, one ''bakra'' gets trapped. And, Sharief is one of them. One should realize that no one would give you money freely. Best thing, the culprit is now arrested.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Ashraf Sullia Kuwait,

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    This is a huge success by the Police! There are 1000s of email fraud people in this world especially in Africa. I am also getting lot of emails on daily basis but it is common sense that, all alluring emails are tempting the every email holders with huge money! Guys don''t respond them with any details. They just do the ''Brain Wash'' job and then they will gain what they want!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • vinod wilfred tauro, madanthyar/dubai

    Sun, Aug 09 2009

    Dear Readers, It is unfortunate...this types of mails I am getting since many years,they target especially from middle east. If anybody will offer you free money without any hidden agenda ? that too people from Africa...We have to work hard and earn money...so their modus operandi is very big....they try and try...out of 100, they will get one fish like Ashraf to lure money...Good that they caught this suspect...

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Bangalore: Nigerian Online Fraudster Lands in Police Net



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.