A 46-year-old woman from Mangaluru was defrauded of Rs 2.67 lakh by an individual she met on Facebook, who claimed to be Dr. William Herberts from the United Kingdom. The woman, who works as a household chore helper, was befriended by the accused about two months ago. The accused maintained contact with her through Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, and on June 28, informed her that he had sent a parcel containing chocolates, gold, a bag, and money.
The woman was then contacted by another person claiming to be a customs officer, who told her that the parcel had been held at the airport customs department and that customs luggage charges needed to be paid for its release. The woman transferred Rs 28,000 via UPI on June 29, and later, the accused convinced her to transfer more money citing various fees. A total of Rs 1,52,000 was transferred through the PhonePe accounts of the woman and her relatives. On July 9, the accused received Rs 87,000 via cheque, citing a penalty fee for delayed receipt of the parcel.
A case has been registered at the Konaje police station, and the police are investigating the matter. The complaint filed with the police states that the accused defrauded the woman of a total of Rs 2,67,000 by citing pretexts such as customs luggage charges, seized charges, and penalty charges.
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📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK