A 23-year-old private bank employee in Dharavi fell victim to an online scam, losing Rs2.6 lakh after interacting with a man on a matrimony site who claimed to be in London.
Details of scam
The scammer, Ravi Gupta, asked for her address and later sent a “gift” parcel containing supposed gold jewellery, bangles, and an Apple phone. A fake call from a courier company, claiming a parcel under her name, demanded Rs21,000 for release. Subsequent calls coerced her into paying Rs66,000 for supposed currency exchange and Rs95,000 for parcel clearance from GST. Additional payments followed, including Rs37,150 as a token charge.
The fraudsters then claimed the DHL CEO was obstructing clearance, demanding Rs1.50 lakh more. Realising the deception, the victim reported the incident to the Dharavi police, initiating a case against the unidentified perpetrators. The scam depicts the risks associated with online interactions and the importance of vigilance against fraudulent schemes.
