Nigerian scam: 5 'support staff' held

MUMBAI: The crime branch on Friday arrested five persons for involvement in the Nigerian lottery scam. The police said the five would open bank accounts using fake documents to receive money from people duped by the scam operators.
The police had laid a trap after the anti-motor vehicle theft cell got a tip-off that a vehicle theft gang was to arrive near the Worli dairy.They arrested Kamar Shaikh alias Rahul Rajesh Gupta (35), Sameer Sawant alias Rajesh Bhoj (22), Sayyed Ali alias Rajesh Chavan (35), Kiran Jadhav alias Ramesh Sharma (35) and Mohammed Nadaf alias Alex D'Souza from a car that was moving about suspiciously.
The police recovered 19 cell phones, various fake documents, bank chequebooks and credit and debit cards from the men.
"The gang would open bank accounts in fictitious names at the behest of their Nigerian mentors," investigating officer Vilas Gangawane said.
The police said the scamsters lure people by sending text messages or emails saying they have won prizes in a UK lottery and ask the victim to deposit a "processing fees" in various accounts.
"The accused used these fake documents to open accounts in the bank and later used to withdraw cash through ATMs or transfer the money," additional commissioner of police (crime) Niket Kaushik said. The police said the arrested men used to get 10 to 20% commission. The police are looking for 14 more persons.
The fake documents seized were difficult to differentiate from original ones and police said they will probe how the accused managed to print them.
All the accused were produced before a local court and remanded in police custody till February 22.