Ugandan Scammer Arrested in Delhi for Rs 1.9 Lakh Dating App Fraud Using Girlfriend's Photos

Police confirmed the identity used on the dating application was completely fabricated.

New Delhi:

Authorities have arrested a 38-year-old Ugandan national for allegedly defrauding a Delhi resident of Rs 1.9 lakh through an elaborate online dating scam. The suspect, Micheal Iga, reportedly created a fake female profile using his girlfriend's photographs and subsequently convinced the victim to invest in a non-existent "rare oil" business opportunity supposedly based in Assam.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel, Iga had been residing illegally in Delhi's Burari area. The investigation revealed that the victim, a Kishan Garh resident, was approached on a dating platform by someone posing as a woman employed at a beauty products company. This fictitious persona gradually built trust with the victim before introducing what was described as a highly profitable business opportunity involving specialized oil from Assam.

The unsuspecting victim transferred Rs 1,90,000 across multiple bank accounts based on promises of substantial returns. After receiving the funds, the fraudster immediately blocked all communication with the victim.

Law enforcement officials clarified that both the dating profile and the entire oil trading scheme were completely fabricated. Authorities subsequently filed an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Through comprehensive technical surveillance, digital forensics, and financial tracking, police successfully located Iga, who had been regularly changing his location throughout Delhi-NCR in attempts to avoid capture. He was finally apprehended in Burari.

During the arrest, police recovered four mobile phones, a laptop, six debit cards used for channeling fraudulently obtained funds, and Rs 22,500 in cash from the suspect.

Investigators discovered that Iga was connected to at least 14 separate cyber fraud complaints registered on the National Cyber Reporting Platform (NCRP) across various states and Union territories.

During questioning, Iga admitted to creating fake female profiles using his girlfriend's photographs to attract victims before defrauding them with false investment schemes promising high returns.

Authorities also determined that the suspect was residing in India illegally.