Mumbai: 28-Year-Old Actress Shalini Jha Loses ₹5.10 Lakhs In Online Fraud; Scammer Poses As UK-Based Fiancé

Mumbai: Shalini Jha, 28, an actress, lost Rs 5.10 lakhs in an online fraud. She connected with the fraudster, who claimed to be Amanprit Singh, over Facebook, and they became friends. He told her he was working in the UK and that he intended to marry her. Singh then contacted her, claiming he had sent a parcel worth Rs 90 lakhs and that she needed to pay Rs 9 lakhs as tax, ultimately defrauding her. The Versova police filed a case against Amanprit Singh for alleged cheating on September 10.

According to the FIR, Jha resides in Malad West. In August 2024, Jha and Singh connected over Facebook and became friends. He claimed he was working in the UK. They frequently chatted through social media platforms. On August 8, he called her from a UK number and told her that he would marry her and that he would send a gift worth Rs 90 lakhs.

The next day, she received a call from an unknown number, and the caller claimed to be from the parcel department. He informed her that a parcel from the UK had arrived, and she would need to pay Rs 9 lakhs as tax. She contacted Singh, who assured her that she should pay the amount, but she initially did not.

On August 11, she received another call from an unknown number, and this time, the caller claimed to be from the income tax department. He told her that the parcel would be seized if she did not pay the tax amount and provided her with bank details.

Subsequently, she transferred Rs 5.10 lakhs from her account, and for the remaining amount, she asked her sister-in-law for help. Her sister-in-law informed her that it was likely a fraud. Later, when Jha tried to call Singh, his mobile was switched off, and she realised it was a scam.

She then filed a complaint against Singh, leading the police to register a case under sections 3(5) (general explanations), 318(4) (cheating), and 319(2) (cheating by personation), along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.