Mumbai: In nick of time, cop saves businessman from ‘Nigerian scam’

The woman did not demand any money initially, but the man later got a call claiming that a parcel had come for him at Bangalore airport for which he had to pay customs charges. Representation pic

A city-based diamond trader was saved from huge fraud in the nick of time by his friend, who works in the Mumbai Police's Cyber Cell. Little did he know about it when he received an email from a woman saying that she wanted to start a company in India and needed his help in setting it up. Though she didn't demand any money initially, later even before she could make him pay some, his friend alerted him that it might be a fraud.

The 50-year-old businessman got an email a couple of days back from a woman named Pooja Singh Rapheal. The email says, "I am from France. My husband and I worked with a company in France till January 4, 2021. He was one of the directors of the company, but he died of Covid-19 earlier this year. I want to fulfill my husband's dream and set up a company in India. I want you to guide me in this investment. I don't need any financial support from you because I have enough money to invest already. You can be my partner in this investment. Please don't ignore me, I am your sister and I need this help."

Soon after the businessman replied to the mail saying that he would help her in all possible way and asked her when she would come to India. He also shared his number with her. Later Pooja started chatting with him on WhatsApp and said she would come to Mumbai on June 7 around 6 am. To this the businessman asked her not to travel now because she would have to undergo quarantine. But Pooja said that she would come via Bangalore and asked him to book a room in a hotel for her. Thereafter, he booked a room at the Grand Hyatt in Santacruz.

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Pooja sent details of her passport and visa to him on WhatsApp and said that she would reach Bangalore on June 7. But on June 6 evening the businessman met his friend Sanjay Govilkar, senior inspector in the Mumbai Central Region Cyber Cell and told him about Pooja. That is when Govilkar alerted him and said that it might be a fraud.

How he realised the fraud

Around 6 am on June 7 morning the businessman got a call from a woman named Anita, who introduced herself as a Customs officer and said that Pooja had landed at the Bangalore airport and that he had to pay charges for a parcel she had got. That is when he realised that it was a fraud and refused to pay. He told mid-day, "When they asked me to pay for the parcel I realised that it was fraud. I told her that I know this woman through social media and I will not pay any money." Police Inspector Govilkar said, "When he told me that a woman had asked for help through an email, I asked him to be alert as it could be fraud."