Amazing: 'Wash-wash' 419 trick still netting preys

Indian police

Indian policemen at work

Despite years of public education and warnings about Nigeria’s oldest 419 gimmick, the ‘wash-wash trick’, in which the fraudster tells his prey to wash black papers with special chemicals that will turn them into US dollars, people are still falling for the lie.

The Times of India has reported the arrest Friday of a Nigerian who had duped Indians of their money.

The Nigerian identified as Raymond HQ( what a funny name!) was arrested jointly by Barmer Kotwali police and their Jaipur counterparts.

According to the police, a trap was laid and the accused Nigerian, was called to Jaipur from Delhi.

Indian policemen at work
Indian policemen at work

He was promptly arrested, with the Police launching an investigation to find out more about his crime and his accomplices.

The Times of India said Raymond defrauded his Indian victim, Swaroop Ram Suthar, a resident of Dani ki Hodi in Barmer, of Rs 21.69 lakh(about $49,000) by asking the victim to deposit the amount to get $9.4 million and become a foreign investment partner. The Nigerian reportedly told the victim that the money would be sent to him in black papers which would turn into American dollars after dipping in a special kind of spray.

Police recovered 54 packets of such black papers from Raymond when he was arrested, wrote The Times of India.

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Here is the rest of the story as reported by Times of India:

“Barmer SP Hemant Sharma said Suthar got an e-mail around two years ago from a foreigner. The mailer asked him to become a foreign investment partner and offered him $9.4 million dollars.

“The SP said the foreign national was in continuous touch with Suthar through e-mail and lured him to the extent that Suthar finally became a victim. Barmer Kotwali SHO Kailash Meena, who is investigating the case, said the fraud got a total Rs 21.69 lakh from Suthar deposited in several instalments in separate account numbers of ICICI bank.

“Interestingly, the victim did not become suspicious even though the Nigerian directed him through several e-mails to deposit amounts of Rs 1,63,874, Rs 3,35,659, Rs 2,64,000 in the bank accounts.

“Meena said Suthar got suspicious finally when packet of black dollars was not sent to him and on June 2, he lodged a case in Barmer. He, however, wanted to deposit Rs 5 lakh more in the bank account, but ICICI bank manager concerned did not deposit the amount in the account and informed the police.

“Meena said that based on the information, police took the case seriously and laid a trap to catch the cheat. They asked Suthar to contact the Nigerian and to tell him that he would give Rs 5 lakh in cash when he reached Jaipur from. On Friday, with the help of Ramganj police of Jaipur, they nabbed the person who got down from a bus at Transport Nagar bypass and brought him to Barmer late on Friday night.”

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