RAB catches 8 including Nigerian nationals over fake lottery messages

Eight including seven Nigerians have been arrested in Dhaka for fraud involving text messages announcing fake lottery wins.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 Dec 2016, 07:44 AM
Updated : 6 Dec 2016, 08:56 AM

They were caught in raids at Dhaka’s Mirpur and Dakkhinkhan on Monday, said Mizanur Rahman, assistant director of Rapid Action Battalion’s media wing.

“They would send text messages telling people they’ve won the lottery. The receiver would then be asked to register or do something else by which the culprits can take their money.”       

The identities of eight caught will be revealed in a press conference on Tuesday, he said.

Crimes using mobile phones have been on the rise, according to law enforcers who say they too have received texts from frauds. 

In November, four Nigerians were arrested from Dhaka’s Uttara for involvement in a similar fraud. In September, eight suspects were detained, three of whom were Nigerian citizens.

A previous police press release described how the group carried out their activities.

According to the release, the fraudsters would send SMS to a mobile phone user telling them of winning a large sum in a lottery by Coca-Cola or some other well-known brand. They then asked the user to send them their names and addresses to ‘claim’ the prize.

Once the details were sent, the group sent the user a confirmation SMS with fake documentation for a foreign national.

If the mobile user was convinced, the conmen would ask for Tk 38,000 to cover the customs clearance for sending £500,000 to Bangladesh.

Sometimes they would claim that the cost had risen in an effort to extract more money from their victim after the initial payment was made.

After they had received the money, the criminals would sever contact.

Similar fraud gangs involving Nigerians have been arrested in neighbouring India as well in the past.