A cyber fraudster impersonating as a UK citizen befriended a 34-year-old woman from Andheri on Instagram and cheated her of Rs 4.29 lakh, according to an FIR registered at Andheri Police Station.
In her complaint, the woman said she had received a follow request on her Instagram profile from a man who claimed to be from London. She exchanged phone numbers with him and started chatting with him.
On July 27, the fraudster, who was using an international number, told her that he sent her some gifts through cargo shipping and even showed her pictures of the items. He also gave her a link to track its delivery.
On July 29, she received a phone call from a man who claimed he was calling from the customs office. He told her that the “gift parcel” has a lot of cash in it and she would have to pay charges for procuring an “anti-money laundering certificate’” The complainant paid Rs 4.29 lakh. The next day, a woman impersonating an income tax officer called her demanding Rs 5.69 lakh as taxes on the gift parcel. The complainant refused to give any money and asked her to prove her identity. The fraudster cut the call and the complainant realized she had been duped.