Mumbai: Cops on lookout for duo who duped Andheri woman to tune of Rs 3.5 lakh

A 32-year-old woman has lodged a complaint with Andheri police stating that she was allegedly duped to the tune of Rs 3.54 lakh by two persons, including a woman who claimed to be representatives of an entertainment company and selecting the daughter of the victim for an audition.

According to the police, the complainant stays in JB Nagar in (E) with her husband and five-year-old daughter. On July 13, the victim had received a WhatsApp message from a woman who identified herself as Sakshi, informing about a modelling audition carried out by a reputed entertaining company. The victim then passed on the photograph and details of her daughter on the said number.

Next day, around 10 pm, the victim received a message from Sakshi informing the victim that her daughter had been selected for an audition and gave her the number of another representative Ashish Sarkar to discuss further process. The victim then contacted Sarkar, who told her that she would have to pay for portfolio shooting charges, MoU and refundable deposit, police said.

Between July 13 and July 20, the victim ended up paying Rs 3.54 lakh in different bank accounts provided by the suspects. When the accused demanded more Rs 3.25 lakh, the victim felt something amiss and visited the entertainment company's office situated at the Veera Desai Road and was shocked to realise that she had been duped.

The victim then approached the police and lodged a complaint on Thursday. The police have registered a case on charges of acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention, cheating by personation), cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, identity theft and cheating by personation by using computer resource.