Lucknow, May 16 (PTI) A Nigerian national was arrested in Delhi by the Uttar Pradesh STF for allegedly creating fake profiles of US and UK citizens on social media and cheating victims on the pretext of sending expensive gifts and foreign currency, officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Uchenwa, a resident of Olo State in Nigeria and currently living in south Delhi's Khanpur area, was arrested on Thursday night, the Special Task Force (STF) said in a statement.

According to the STF, the accused and his associates allegedly created fake profiles on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp posing as foreign nationals and befriended Indian users, both men and women, online.

The gang allegedly lured victims by promising expensive gifts and foreign currency from abroad and later posed as customs or income tax officials to extort money in the name of customs duty and taxes after claiming that the parcels had been "detained" at airports, the officials said.

Three mobile phones and four SIM cards were seized from the accused, they added.

The action was taken based on intelligence inputs regarding active Nigerian cyber fraud gangs operating through social media platforms, the STF said.

During the investigation, the STF came across a complaint lodged by a Lucknow resident at the Madeyganj police station in 2026.

The complainant was allegedly trapped by a fake Facebook profile of a UK-based woman identified as "Doris William" in August 2025, the officials said.

The victim later said that gifts and foreign currency worth around Rs 3 crore had arrived at Delhi airport, following which he was allegedly asked to deposit money towards customs charges, income tax, GST and other fees.

The STF said the victim transferred nearly Rs 68 lakh in multiple transactions between 2025 and January 2026.

During interrogation, the accused "confessed" that he had come to India in 2010 for the garment business, but later joined cyber fraud activities after suffering losses, the officials said.

He also told investigators that he had earlier been arrested by Madhya Pradesh Police in a similar case in 2020 and had spent around four years in jail before resuming such activities after getting bail, the STF said.

The officials said efforts are underway to identify and arrest other members of the gang and examine bank accounts, wallets and electronic devices linked to the racket.

A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, the statement added. PTI COR CDN SMV RT

Cyber fraud through fake social media profiles allegedly targeted victims with gift and customs duty extortion. Cyber fraud through fake social media profiles involved allegedly impersonating foreign nationals to befriend victims and induce payments on the pretext of expensive gifts and foreign currency. The operation allegedly escalated into posing as customs or income tax officials and demanding money toward customs duty, income tax, GST and related fees after claiming that parcels had been detained at airports. Mobile phones and SIM cards were seized, and a case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.