There seem to be no barriers for cyber fraudsters who recently duped a deaf-mute person to the tune of Rs 1.38 lakhs. The fraudsters befriended the victim on Instagram and lured him into a trap, said police.
The 37-year-old victim teaches Indian Sign languages at Ali Yavar Jung National Institute in Bandra. On March 12 a woman who goes by name of Gift Williams befriended him on Instagram and soon both shared their mobile numbers and started chatting with each other on WhatsApp.
A week later the woman claimed that she would soon come to India for 10 days on holiday and shared photographs of her purported flight ticket from London to Delhi. The next day she shared her photographs seating inside the plane awaiting 'departure' to make the victim believe her con.
She was to land in India on March 22, on the same day she texted the victim and asked for help. She claimed that she was stuck at the airport and was carrying a cheque of £60,000 which amounts to Rs 61 lakh. She pretended that of the said money she would deposit Rs 59 lakh into victims account and requested him to send her Rs 49, 000. Unaware of such frauds the victim sent the money.
Later the she took Rs 30, 000 on the pretext of hotel stay and another Rs 15, 000 for her food expenses. Later she claimed that she was not feeling well and took Rs 30, 000 for her hospital expenses and another Rs 12, 000 for flight ticket from Delhi to Mumbai. Her last message to the victims was on last week on Tuesday when she claimed that she was boarding a flight to Mumbai and blocked his number, their entire conversation took place in the form of text messages, said police.
The victim initially did not realise anything however when he narrated the incident to his translator she told him that he had been cheated all along.
The victim then approached the Bandra police which recorded his statement with the help of a translator.
We have registered an offense of impersonation and cheating along with relevant sections of the Information Technology act. We have written to the banks to block the accounts in which money was transferred and also trying to trace the accused with the help of his mobile number said an officer from Bandra police station.
