Women cheated of ₹20 lakh

Modus operandi in both cases was very similar

The police are on the lookout for some men who allegedly cheated women of over ₹20 lakh in separate instances.

One of the victims is a 31-year-old working professional who met the accused on a matrimonial website in February this year. He identified himself as Prem Basu from London and claimed that he was planning to relocate to Bengaluru where he wanted to get married and settle down. The two struck up a friendship and discussed their plans for the future.

“A few days ago, the woman who lives in Raghavendra Colony, received a message from Prem. He claimed that he had been detained by Customs officials in Delhi for travelling without a COVID-19 negative certificate. He convinced her that he was carrying undeclared cash amounting to ₹2 crore with him and she needed to transfer money for his release,” said a police officer.

The woman then received a call from a man claiming to be an official with the Customs department. He demanded ₹10 lakh towards Customs duties to facilitate the release of Basu along with the cash. “The woman followed his instructions and transferred the money only to realise later that she had been duped,” the police officer added.

The South division cyber crime police, on June 7, registered a case of cheating.

In the second instance, a 40-year-old homemaker from Jayanagar was duped of ₹10.7 lakh by a man who promised to send her gifts worth crores of rupees.

“The two met online and struck up a friendship. After he gained her trust, the man said he wanted to send her gifts for which she had to pay Customs duties. He promised to reimburse her,” said a police officer.

The woman arranged for the money and transferred it to the accounts that the man specified. It was only after she transferred ₹10.7 lakh on different dates without receiving a single gift that she realised that she had been cheated.

Based on her complaint, the cyber crime police on Wednesday registered a case under various sections of the IT Act.

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