Beware Prospective Brides; Abuse of Online Matrimonial Websites by Organized Criminals

Two Gangs Busted; Many Websites Under Scanner; Five Accused Including a Woman Arrested

A team of Special Cell led by Inspectors Kailash Singh Bisht and Umesh Barthwal has busted a gang of cheats of African origins who were found cheating innocent female victims through popular matrimonial websites in a macabre fashion. The victims have been identified to be spread all over India including Delhi. The criminals were using VoIP and other innovative techniques to execute this novel kind of organized cheating using an online services platform.    

The Special Cell had been receiving information about abuse of ‘Online Matrimonial Websites’ like www.bharatmatrominy.com, www.simplymarry.com, www.shaadi.com etc. by organized criminal gangs who were cheating innocent female victims who had subscribed to these web portals looking for a suitable match by creating and operating fictitious profiles, posing themselves as wealthy NRIs working in highly remunerative assignments/professions in foreign locations. The cheats were reported to have brought in a large number of UK, US and other foreign SIM cards, which were used from within India on international roaming to mask their real locations and identities. This information alerted the Police and a discreet enquiry was initiated into the activities of suspected profiles Ids along with associated monetary transactions.    

A gang of cheats, including a woman, had been in contact with a Hyderabad based female since March 2015 with a fake identity of Doctor Abhishek Mohan created on www.bharatmatrominy.com. ‘Dr Abhishek Mohan’ had expressed interest with her for matrimonial alliance. The profile as created showed ‘Dr Abhishek Mohan’ as an orthopedic surgeon, working with the United Nations currently in Iraq on an assignment. The victim was told that Dr Abhishek was a UK citizen with Indian Origins. He used to call her from UK numbers and one Indian number, which he used to tell as being on International roaming. He also used to talk to the victim over Viber VoIP platform. After gaining trust and confidence of the victim, ‘Dr Abhishek’ informed her that he has purchased some expensive medical equipment as UN doctors get handsome discounts and further that the Iraqi government had gifted him some jewels and gold as appreciation for an anti-terrorist mission. ‘Dr Abhishek’, who by now had an assurance of matrimonial alliance with the unsuspecting victim, told her that his assignment was nearing completion and that he would be coming to India in April 2015. Before that, he would be sending all the gold, jewels, medical equipment and some personal belongings to India at her address as he will meet her soon and as that he does not trust any of his relatives, as much, as they are not so close. As per the imposter, the parcel reached Indian shores on 07/04/2015. The next day, the victim received a call from an Inspector of Customs stating that she had to pay Customs clearance fee for the parcel which was worth several crores. The victim spoke to Doctor Abhishek over phone and he asked her to give the custom clearance fee immediately and that he would return her money upon arrival. After this money was paid, several further requirements were raised by the lady Custom Inspector on various grounds like Money Laundering clearance, Anti-Terrorist Funding clearance etc. and dutifully complying with such demands, the victim kept on borrowing money from her relatives and friends and also availed personal loans etc. and kept paying the amounts in various bank account numbers stated to be belonging to Custom Agents of Delhi as told by Dr Abhishek. After depositing over Rs. 48,00,000/-, there was no sign of the parcel and yet the lady Customs Inspector called her to deposit a further Rs. 75,00,000/- as a refundable tax. On the realization that she was being cheated, the victim got the FIR registered in PS Cyber Crime, Hyderabad.  

Three accused persons namely (1) Joseph Irabor Bhahemen @ Eddy, aged 26 years, s/o Bhahemoen, permanent resident of H.No. 20, Yeye Street, Ondo State, Nigeria; local address H.No. 2836, Sector 46, Gurgaon, Haryana, (2) Bawo Hilary Omagbemi @ Hilary, aged 35 years, s/o Omagbemi, permanent resident of H.No. 5, Adams Lawal, Benin City, Nigeria; local address H.No. 2836, Sec. 46, Gurgaon, Haryana and (3) Leniya Magh, aged 26 years, d/o Nthavu Magh, permanent resident of Village Newton, District Kohima, Nagaland; local address H.No. 2836, Sec. 46, Gurgaon, Haryana have been arrested u/s. 41.1 of Cr PC. This gang had cheated a Hyderabad based lady victim to the tune of Rs. 48,75,000/- over the past few months by abusing www.bharatmatrimony.com. 

As stated above, this gang was abusing www.bharatmatrimony.com for locating potential victims. The continuing investigations have also brought to notice another similar website by the name of www.simplymarry.com, which have been used in similar manner. Further arrests are likely in the matter. The concerned Police of Hyderabad has been informed of the arrests.

Enquiries/investigations into the Hyderabad based victims’ case has revealed that this group of cheats alone was operating over a dozen fake profiles. Every fake profile so created had expressed interests in hundreds of prospective brides. The profile ‘Dr Abhisekh Mohan’ itself had expressed/received interests from 192 prospective brides, some of whom are based in Delhi and others outside. Communications with over a dozen potential victims were in an advance stage of inducement. And, this is just ONE CASE on the wide open internet with scores of matrimonial websites

Another case of cheating and fraud has come to notice and a FIR at PS Chandni Mahal, Central District, Delhi vide FIR No. 121/2015, dated 08/05/2015 u/s 420 IPC has been registered. A female complainant (name withheld) alleged that in March 2015, one person namely Alex Ramsey had contacted her through www.shaadi.com website’s reference and identified him to be a doctor working with World Health Organization (WHO), London, United Kingdom. This Alex Ramsay gained proximity with the complainant through his smooth talking. They used to interact over voice calls and Whatsapp. In early April 2015, Alex Ramsay told her that he was sending her a gift parcel. On 11.04.2015, the victim received a call from a lady using an Indian cell phone number who posed herself as a Customs Department officer from Mumbai and informed the complainant that she had to pay a certain amount for getting customs clearance for the expensive parcel that had been sent for her by Alex Ramsay. The victim thereafter called up Alex Ramsey who asked her to deposit the solicited money and to get the parcel delivered as it contained costly gifts for her. The victim deposited the asked amount in a private bank account as told by the lady Customs officer. The very next day, that lady Customs officer called her again and asked to deposit further Rs. 86,00,000/- more to clear the parcel stating that refundable taxes on account of clearances under the Money Laundering laws were also to be paid for obtaining the parcel. The victim again called up Alex Ramsey who again convinced her that the gift parcel sent for her contained exotic and expensive articles and therefore, the amount as being solicited by the Customs Department, be paid. However, the victim got suspicious about the whole affair and lodged this FIR at PS Chandni Mahal, Central District, Delhi.

The investigation of this case was transferred to Special Cell which was already conducting wide ranging enquiries in similar matters. During investigation of above said case, accused Henry Chima Anidebe, aged 30 years, s/o Anidebe Okafar, permanent resident of H.No. 1-A, Nwaosisi Lane, Onistsha, Anambra State, Nigeria; local address Arjun Nagar, Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi was arrested. His disclosure revealed the identities of other gang members who were using ‘voice changers’ to modulate male voices into those of the lady Customs officer and the group was found abusing www.shaadi.com to locate and befriend prospective victims by further use of social media like facebook, linkedin etc. The arrested accused has been produced before the concerned court and his Police Custody Remand has been obtained. Efforts are being made to locate and apprehend the other absconding gang members involved in the crime.  

By this public advisory, all are advised to be aware of such massive scams being carried out on innocent victims through ostensibly innocuous platforms. It is imperative that a thorough background check of the personal details being posted while creating such imposter profiles be carried out and not be accepted on the face value which may be misleading. All such victims who might have been cheated similarly are also advised to get their complaints lodged with concerned Police Stations so that efforts are made to trace and apprehend similar other gangs/modules operating with impunity from within Delhi and justice is delivered to the victims. 

Efforts are being made to sensitize the managements of online ‘Matrimonial Websites’ for increased vigil and timely detection of potential abused by fraudsters. Further investigation is under progress.