Mumbai: A 30-year-old woman constable attached to Bandra police station was allegedly duped of Rs 11.2 lakh after befriending a man identified as Ravi Kumar on a marriage portal. Fraudsters claimed gifts and jewellery worth Rs 32 lakh sent from London were held by customs and asked her to pay delivery charges and make other payments. She transferred money to 34 beneficiary bank accounts between Sept 1 and 17, said the cyber police.
Cyber Police Investigate Fraud Case Involving Rs 1.15 Lakh Demand
A woman reported a fraud case to the West Cyber police station after she became suspicious when scammers demanded an additional Rs 1.15 lakh and her Aadhaar card. One of the callers threatened to circulate her photographs if she refused to comply. Following her complaint, the constable lodged a report through the 1930 cyber helpline, resulting in an FIR against an unidentified individual on Friday.
The cyber police took action by freezing accounts that received funds related to the scam. The accused, identified as Ravikumar, claimed to be divorced, residing in Ahmedabad, and working in London. He allegedly boasted about owning multiple properties in London and Gujarat, as well as several businesses. The two exchanged photographs and maintained regular communication.
On September 3, Ravikumar informed the victim that he had received an award in London, sending her photos and videos that appeared to show him preparing a gift for her. Initially, the victim transferred Rs 16,000 via a payment scanner and subsequently sent Rs 20,000 to a nationalized bank account. The scammers later claimed that a parcel meant for her contained foreign currency and jewelry worth Rs 32 lakh, demanding an additional Rs 68,000 for currency conversion. Ravikumar allegedly reassured her of the callers’ legitimacy and promised to repay her after reaching Mumbai.