Cyber fraudster dupes woman of `21 lakh

A widow from the city was cheated of `21 lakh by a cyber crook, who introduced himself as a shipping company employee based in Italy. He offered her gold, cash, and gifts after befriending her through a matrimony site.

The victim, a widow in her mid-30s from SR Nagar, registered herself on a matrimony site in December. A few days later, she received a request from a person, who claimed to be working in a shipping company at Italy.

They developed friendship and started communicating through emails. In January, the stranger informed her that the ship he was travelling had an issue and the ship’s captain asked him to send personal belongings to the family THE VICTIM, a widow in her mid30s from SR Nagar, registered herself on a matrimony site in December. A few days later, she received a request from a person, who claimed to be working in a shipping company at Italy.

immediately. He said he had given her address. In the last week of January, the woman received a call from a man who claimed he was a courier agent and that there was a bag on her name. She was to pay `1.55 lakh towards customs charges for getting the bag.

After deposing the money, she got another call informing that the bag contained a huge quantity of gold and American currency. She was asked to pay an additional `19 lakh towards declaration charges and taxes.

She was threatened with a police case if she failed to pay the amount and get the bag released. She paid the amounts into the bank accounts provided by the courier agent.

When the woman did not receive any consignment, she called up the agent and threatened to lodge a complaint. Immediately, thereafter the number was switched off. Having lost huge amount, which she had borrowed from her friends, the victim lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad cyber crime police.

During the investigation, the police found that the bank accounts were in Bihar and Delhi. A team has intensified efforts to trace the culprits.