According to police officials, the victim, Kamalkant Yadav, a resident of Harishankarpuram locality, was approached through Facebook by a woman posing as a foreign tourist from London. The interaction reportedly began on April 24 and gradually developed into regular conversations.
Investigators said the accused initially introduced themselves as “Lucky Charles” before later continuing the chats under the name “Dr Patricia.” During the conversations, the woman allegedly claimed she was planning to travel to India from London carrying 95,000 British pounds, estimated to be worth around Rs 1.22 crore.
The fraudster reportedly told Yadav that she would require assistance converting the foreign currency into Indian rupees after arriving in India. In return, she allegedly promised him a commission along with expensive gifts.
Police stated that the scam escalated on April 27 when Yadav received a phone call from another woman claiming to be an official at Mumbai airport. The caller allegedly informed him that customs clearance and registration formalities needed to be completed before the foreign currency could be released.
Believing the claims to be genuine, Yadav first transferred Rs 38,500 as a registration fee. Officials said he was later convinced to make several additional payments under the pretext of procedural and clearance charges. Altogether, he transferred Rs 1.23 lakh into multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.
The victim reportedly became suspicious only after the accused demanded another Rs 70,000. Realising he may have been cheated, Yadav immediately contacted the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and lodged a complaint.
Following the complaint, police at Jhansi Road Police Station registered an E-Zero FIR against unidentified individuals and initiated an investigation into the matter.
Inspector Shakti Singh said the complainant had been lured into the fraud through continuous Facebook conversations with a woman claiming to be visiting India from abroad. He confirmed that a case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
The incident once again highlights the growing threat of cyber frauds involving fake social media profiles, emotional manipulation, and false promises of foreign money or gifts. Police officials have urged citizens to remain cautious while interacting with unknown individuals online and to avoid transferring money without proper verification.
