Mumbai, Jan 21: A 29-year-old bank employee residing in the Sakinaka area of Mumbai has lodged an FIR at the Sakinaka Police Station against an unidentified WhatsApp user and bank account holder for allegedly cheating him under the pretext of a resort booking.
Online search leads to fraud
According to the complaint, the victim has been living for the past six months in a tower in Sakinaka along with a female friend. On January 15, while searching online for resort options on his mobile phone, he came across an advertisement for Sahara Aamby Valley on Google. After clicking on the link provided in the advertisement, he obtained a mobile number.
When the victim contacted the number, the person on the other end introduced himself as a resort employee and quoted a charge of Rs 25,000 for a two-day stay, including food and beverages.
To gain the victim’s trust, the accused also sent a resort brochure. Believing the claims, the victim transferred Rs 25,000 via a QR scanner, following which the accused sent him a receipt.
Additional payment demanded
A short while later, the accused called again and claimed that the room initially booked was not available and that an alternative room would need to be booked. He also assured the victim that the earlier amount would be refunded within 24 hours. Trusting the accused, the victim transferred an additional Rs 26,240, after which another receipt was sent.
Fraud uncovered at resort
On January 16, when the victim reached Sahara Aamby Valley Resort along with his girlfriend, he discovered that there was no booking in his name. The resort management further clarified that no employee by the given name or mobile number was associated with the resort. It was then that the victim realised he had been cheated.
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Police investigation underway
The victim subsequently returned to Mumbai and approached the Sakinaka Police Station to lodge a complaint. Police have registered an FIR against the unknown accused and initiated further investigation.
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