Mumbai: A 51-year-old woman from Jogeshwari East lost Rs 1.13 lakh in an online scam after being lured by a fraudster posing as a UK resident who claimed he wanted to donate his property because he was an orphan. The Oshiwara police have registered an FIR against an unidentified person for cheating.
According to the police, the complainant, Shokhina Shaikh, works as a house assistant. On February 11 at 5.29 pm, she received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller claimed that he was a resident of London and an orphan. He further said that he wanted to donate his property and asked for her Aadhaar card details.
He later told her that he would send 10 tolas of gold ornaments, including a gold necklace, bangles and earrings, along with an iPhone, clothes and Rs 6 lakh in cash. The woman believed him.
On February 18 at 9.15 am, she received another WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller claimed that he was a customs officer attached to Delhi airport. He told her that a parcel from London had arrived in her name and that she had to pay customs duty. He warned that if she failed to pay, the parcel would be confiscated by the government.
The fraudsters repeatedly contacted her on WhatsApp and insisted that she pay the customs charges.
Trusting them, she transferred Rs 1.13 lakh to various bank accounts provided by the fraudsters through a money transfer facility at a Suvidha Kendra between February 11 and February 20.
Later, she realised that she had been cheated and approached the police.
The Oshiwara police registered a case under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act 2000, and further investigation is underway.
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