A woman from the city has reportedly fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹10.35 lakh. The scammers initially connected with her on Instagram, where they promised to send her an expensive gift parcel from the United Kingdom. After establishing trust, they later extorted money from her, claiming it was needed for customs clearance and legal formalities. This incident highlights the growing threat of online scams that exploit social media platforms to deceive individuals.
Niharika reported the matter to the 1930 cybercrime helpline and later approached the Cyber Crime police.
The woman, identified as Niharika , received an Instagram friend request on Aug 16, 2026, from a person calling himself “Chef Ryan Lucas”, according to a complaint filed with the Lucknow Cyber Crime police. Police said the accused later shifted communication to WhatsApp , where he gained her trust and collected her address and other personal details. The complaint said the accused then posed as an FBI officer, sent a fake identity card and threatened legal action.
After she accepted, the two began chatting, and the man claimed he was based in the UK. He allegedly offered to send her a costly gift parcel. He also allegedly shared photos of a purported parcel to make the delivery story appear genuine.