A Nigerian student who scammed an Australian out of more than $100,000 by posing as a diplomat has been spared more jail time.

Cosmos Kelechi Emeh, 33, pleaded guilty on Thursday to defrauding the woman, from Kuraby in Brisbane, with an internet romance hoax in 2018.

Emeh contacted the woman partway through the scam, which had already defrauded the 34-year-old out of more than $250,000.

He identified himself as diplomat Mark David and asked for a further $105,000, which she withdrew from her parent’s account without permission and paid in cash.

Before this, the woman had been contacted via social media by another man posing as Matthew Dobbin, a US officer serving with the United Nations.

The pair sent each other photos and professed their love after just three days of communication.

During the scam, Emeh told the woman she would need to pay for a ‘terrorist certificate’.

He also told her not to contact Australian authorities because her actions may be considered money laundering.

After Emeh collected the cash he asked for a further $200,000 but police arrested him before he could collect it.

Judge Byrne said Emeh was not the mastermind in the scheme and it appeared likely he had ‘given way to temptation’ in a bid to raise money to pay his university fees.