12 Nigerians, one Bangladeshi held for duping people

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) claimed to have arrested 13 persons, including 12 Nigerian nationals, on Tuesday from Dhaka's Pallabi area on charge of duping people out of crores of taka.The arrestees used to impersonate customs officials while talking to the victims online, said Sheikh Md Rezaul Haider, additional deputy inspector general of CID.

At a press briefing at CID headquarters yesterday, the official said they carried out the raid based on a complaint from a victim who lost Tk 3.73 lakh to the gang's scam. Of the 12 arrested Nigerian, only three have their passports but do not have visas, he said.

CID also arrested Rahat Ara Khanam alias Farzana  Mohiuddin (27), a Bangladeshi national, who used to identify herself as a customs officer, said Rezaul.

About the process of the scam, CID officials said the arrestees are members of an organised racket, who allegedly swindle money from people in name of developing friendship on social media and alluring them with expensive gifts.

Rezaul said the arrestees first befriends a target by pretending to be citizens of countries like the US or UK on social media.

In case of the victim who filed the complaint, a Facebook user named "Katherine Cullen Sophia" first connected with the victim and befriended him through chats over a period of month.The "foreigner" at one stage offered to send him costly gift from abroad and lured him, saying the package would contain million dollar worth of items and asked him to receive the parcel from the customs office at Chattogram Airport, they said.

Then, the Bangladeshi member of the group, Rahat Ara Khanam alias  Farzana -- impersonating a customs officer -- called and  asked him to deposit Tk 4.5 lakh in several bank accounts for customs  clearance of the so-called parcel. Otherwise, legal steps would be  taken, she threatened.

He then deposited Tk 3.73 lakh to bank  accounts specified by the gang. As the gang then discontinued  communication, he realised that he was cheated and made the  complaint, said the CID official.

The gang made at least Tk 5 crore in last two months through scams, the CID official said.

Despite  law enforcement agencies repeatedly busting such gangs, the country  continues to witness similar cybercrimes. On July 2, CID arrested three Nigerians for cheating people on social media.CID officials requested people to inform law enforcers if they receive such strange offers online.