Nigerian Man Arrested in Mumbai for Allegedly Defrauding Businesswoman of N6.5 Million in Fake UK Deal

In a shocking turn of events, a Nigerian national, Odulfus Uche Onuma, has been arrested in Navi Mumbai for allegedly swindling a local businesswoman out of Rs 3.5 lakh (approximately N6,564,347) under the pretense of a fake business opportunity in the United Kingdom.

According to The Times of India, the victim, who runs a successful chemical business, received a professional-looking email on January 26 offering her a lucrative investment opportunity in a UK-based chemical venture. The message promised high returns and business expansion potential.

Believing the proposal to be genuine, she transferred Rs 3.05 lakh into the bank account provided in the email. However, after the transaction, all attempts to contact the supposed company failed, raising immediate red flags.

Realising she had been duped, the woman reported the incident to the authorities. Police launched an intensive investigation and were able to trace the suspect to Kharghar, a suburb in Navi Mumbai. Onuma, who had been living discreetly in the area, was arrested and is now facing charges of fraud and financial deception

Law enforcement officials have since issued a public warning, urging individuals to be cautious when approached with unsolicited business offers especially those received via email. They emphasized that fraudsters often target unsuspecting victims with convincing fake proposals.

"The public must remain vigilant. Always verify any business deal, no matter how attractive it appears, before making financial commitments," a police spokesperson advised.

Investigations into the case are ongoing, and authorities have pledged to ensure justice is served while working to prevent similar scams in the future.