DISGRACEFUL!
NIGERIAN Yahoo Yahoo Man, COSMOS EMEH posed as FAKE American Soldier…Scam Australian Woman the sum of $400,000 through money transfer service
* 32 year old conman deceived vulnerable ladies through hoax online romance scheme
* Lied to 38 year old female victim, traveled to woman’s house to collect extra $105,000
*Charged with one count each of fraud and attempted fraud at Brisbane Magistrates Court
* “The 34-year-old woman began an online romantic relationship with Cosmos Emeh, 32, after befriending him on social media in October 2018. The following month, she was groomed into believing Emeh was a US soldier, and sent him more than $200,000 through a money transfer service. He he then traveled to the woman’s house to collect a further $105,000”-Australian Police
BY BIMBO AYOBAMI/CRIME CORRESPONDENT, AUSTRALIA, Naija Standard Newspaper
HE ALWAYS BELIEVE ON LIVING ON THE FAST LANE. HE CHERISHES DRIVING BIG, EXPENSIVE CARS. HE WAS SO MUCH IN A HURRY TO LIVE A LIFE OF EXTRAVAGANZE. COSMOS EMEH, a 32 year old Nigerian in Brisbane, Australia dressed in a fake American soldier camouflage uniform had picture taken and slide same on his profile in one of the online dating sites claiming to be an American soldier to lure women away.
Emeh has been accused of posing as a soldier from the United States in order to groom an Australian woman he met online and has been charged with fraud after allegedly scamming her out of almost $400,000.
Australian Police said the 34-year-old woman began an online romantic relationship with Emeh, after befriending him on social media in October 2018. It is alleged in the following month, she was groomed into believing Emeh was a United States soldier, and sent him more than $200,000 through a money transfer service.
Believing he has ensured the victim’s trust, Australian Police said Emeh then traveled to the woman’s house to collect an additional $105,000. But she became suspicious and reported the matter to police after confiding in a close friend.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Financial and Cyber Crime Group arrested Emeh on Thursday while he was trying to persuade the victim to hand over more money. He has been charged with one count each of fraud and attempted fraud.
The court heard Emeh is studying a degree at a Brisbane university and denied having any contact with the alleged victim via the internet. His lawyer told the court he only came into possession of the SIM card used to receive money and contact the alleged victim yesterday.
Emeh appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning where he was denied bail. Police also executed a search warrant at a Durack home in Brisbane’s west and seized a number of items.
Detective Inspector Vince Byrnes from the Financial and Cyber Crime Group said the alleged scammer had cultivated a “well-structured backstory” to deceive the victim. “I would categorise this victim as a well-educated young person who has entered into an online relationship based on what she was told.”
Disturbing News:
Detective Inspector Byrnes said when the alleged offender met with the woman to collect money, he pretended to be an agent for the US soldier. He said the in-person pick up was particularly “disturbing”.
“It’s very uncommon in Australia or anywhere around the world to have an offender involved in a scam to physically present themselves for the collection of money,” he said.
Detective Inspector Byrnes could not say if the woman would get her money back and said police were investigating whether the accused had targeted other victims. Inspector Byrnes said people needed to be aware of the “red flags” when forming relationships online.
“The camera doesn’t work on their phone so you can’t Skype, you can’t do it face-to-face — it’s these types of methodologies used by the scammers to protect their identity,” he said.
Detective Superintendent Terry Lawrence said it was a common international scam.
“The US Army Criminal Investigation Command receives hundreds of complaints a month from people who find themselves involved in an online relationship with someone purporting to be a US soldier,” he said.
“Usually the offender’s interaction with the victim is all online, so this further step of traveling to the victim’s home is certainly something we need the public to hear and be warned of today.”
Police said the case was an “urgent warning” to the public to be wary of relationships developed online.
“Take the time to evaluate the relationship, talk to friends and other loved ones about your new relationship online — we are thankful the victim in this instance took this step,” Detective Superintendent Lawrence said.
