KALYAN: In yet another online fraud, a 29-year-old Dombivli woman, a software engineer with a multi-national company in Navi Mumbai, was duped of Rs 73 lakh by an unidentified man who she befriended on social media.
The accused claimed to be a UK resident, and under the pretext of sending the woman expensive gifts, he requested for her mobile number and started chatting with her via mobile messaging app, said a police official.
The imposter claimed he had sent a parcel but it was intercepted at the Delhi Airport by security officials over customs duty. He then convinced the woman to pay various taxes, fees and penalties “for security clearance of the gift”. The victim transferred a total of Rs 73 lakh in various bank accounts as instructed by the fraudsters who posed as government officials.
In her complaint to the police, the woman alleged the accused posed as one Daniel Janes and befriended her on Instagram. Over a few weeks, they became friends and started chatting on WhatsApp. Once he gained her trust, the accused said he had sent her an expensive gift which was stuck at the Delhi airport over non-payment of customs duty. She made several payments as requested, but when she got fed up of paying huge amounts, she refused to make further transactions, claimed the woman. Later, when she called on the numbers of the alleged government officials who were in touch with her, their numbers were switched off.
K D Gangurde, Manpada police sub inspector, said, “The woman was made to pay various taxes, fees and penalties amounting to a total of Rs 73 lakh”. Realising she was duped, the woman approached the Manpada police and lodged a complaint against Daniel Janes, Frek Wilson and Jackson Woon. Gangurde warned citizens against befriending strangers on social media or accepting any gifts.
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