The Cyber Police Station of Delhi's South-West District has dismantled an inter-state cyber fraud syndicate and arrested four accused — including a Nigerian national — for cheating a victim of ₹1.46 lakh through an impersonation-based online scam. The operation, announced on 7 August, involved coordinated searches across Delhi, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, with seven mobile phones recovered as evidence.

How the Scam Worked

According to police, a complaint was first received on 31 March at the Cyber Police Station, South-West District. The fraudsters reportedly contacted the victim via WhatsApp messages and phone calls, posing as residents of the United States. Over time, they cultivated a personal relationship with the complainant before falsely informing him that a parcel containing US dollars and gold had been dispatched to India in his name.

The victim was then asked to pay progressively on multiple pretexts — a Money Declaration Certificate, flight ticket bookings, customs clearance charges, and fees to secure the release of the purportedly seized parcel. Believing the claims to be genuine, the complainant transferred ₹1.46 lakh across multiple UPI IDs and bank accounts. An e-FIR was subsequently registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The Investigation Trail

A special team — comprising SI Vishal Yadav, HC Pramod Kumar, HC Vikram, HC Amit Kumar, and W/HC Reena Kumari — was constituted under the supervision of Inspector Pravesh Kaushik, SHO, PS Cyber, and ACP Operations Sanghamitra. The team conducted extensive technical analysis, examined digital evidence, tracked financial transactions, and carried out surveillance.

The investigation trail stretched from Delhi to Telangana and eventually to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. This is the kind of multi-state coordination that has become increasingly common as cyber fraud networks deliberately spread their operations across jurisdictions to evade detection.

The Four Accused

Based on technical inputs, Deepak Kumar (22) was arrested from Maidan Garhi in South Delhi, with one mobile phone recovered from his possession. The probe then led to Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in Telangana, where Konda Sagar (33) was arrested. Azmeera Vinod Kumar (30) was subsequently apprehended from Dubbapeta in Telangana; two mobile phones were recovered from him.

Continuing the investigation, police uncovered the involvement of Simeon Miracle Chinonso (22), a Nigerian national residing in Visakhapatnam. A raid in Andhra Pradesh led to her arrest, with four mobile phones allegedly used in the fraud operation recovered from her possession.

Roles Within the Syndicate

Police said the investigation revealed the accused were part of an organised cyber fraud network with clearly defined roles. Deepak Kumar, Konda Sagar, and Azmeera Vinod Kumar allegedly arranged and supplied mule bank accounts to cybercriminals in exchange for commissions. Chinonso allegedly impersonated immigration officials, customs officers, and representatives of various organisations through WhatsApp chats and phone calls, inducing victims to transfer money on the false promise of receiving foreign parcels.

Investigators found that defrauded money was routed through multiple bank accounts to conceal its origin and facilitate further transfers — a layering technique commonly used in organised financial crime.

What Comes Next

Police have confirmed that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate and trace additional victims who may have been targeted through similar frauds. The recovery of seven mobile phones is expected to yield digital leads pointing to a wider network.