Scammer running Fake ‘Westarctica’ Embassy Arrested in Ghaziabad
Authorities have detained a man suspected of operating a counterfeit embassy from a leased residential property in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and seized vehicles displaying fraudulent diplomatic license plates.
The individual posed as an ambassador and purportedly deceived individuals into giving money by assuring them of jobs abroad, stated senior police official Sushil Ghule from Uttar Pradesh state’s special task force in northern India.
A rented bungalow in Kavi Nagar, Ghaziabad, near Delhi. UP STF’s Noida unit carried out the operation on July 22 and arrested Harsh Vardhan Jain (47), who styled himself as ambassador or consul for fictitious micronations such as West Arctica, Seborga, Poulvia, Lodonia, and even Londonia.
Jain lured individuals and businesses with promises of foreign job placements, business tie-ups, and leveraged forged identity and diplomatic paraphernalia to appear credible.
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What Cops recovered from the Westarctica Embassy?
The STF recovered an impressive trove during the raid:
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Fake diplomatic passports: 12 documents from the phantom micronations
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Diplomatic paraphernalia:
– 34 forged seals from various countries and companies, including fake MEA stamps
– 18 extra fake diplomatic car plates
– 2 press cards, 2 PAN cards, corporate paperwork
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Luxury vehicles: Four cars fitted with unauthorized diplomatic number plates
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Cash & currency: ₹44.7 lakh in Indian currency, along with multiple foreign currencies
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Modus Operandi
Harsh Vardhan Jain’s modus operandi in the Westarctica fake embassy scam involved setting up a rented bungalow in Ghaziabad as a “diplomatic mission” of non-existent micronations like Westarctica, complete with flags, diplomatic insignia, and luxury cars fitted with fake diplomatic number plates to project legitimacy. Posing as an “ambassador,”
Jain used forged diplomatic passports, fabricated seals of ministries, and morphed photographs with top leaders to lure victims with promises of overseas jobs, business tie-ups, and diplomatic privileges. He collected large sums as processing fees while maintaining an online presence to showcase himself as a social worker and diplomat, using this illusion of legitimacy to run alleged hawala operations and financial fraud under the guise of diplomatic immunity, before being exposed and arrested by the UP STF.
