80-Year-Old Mumbai Man Befriends Woman On Facebook, Loses Rs 9 Crore In Digital Fraud
An elderly man in Mumbai was duped of nearly Rs 9 crore in a two-year scam after he was contacted by four women, who the police suspect may be the same person.
An 80-year-old Mumbai man was defrauded of nearly Rs 9 crore over 734 online transactions in a scam that spanned almost two years, NDTV reported, adding that the investigators suspect that the four women involved may be the same person.
According to the report, the fraud began in April 2023 when the victim connected with a woman named Sharvi on Facebook.
She claimed to be separated from her husband and sought money for her children's medical expenses.
Over time, other women, named Kavita, Dinaz, and Jasmine, contacted him via WhatsApp, each asking for financial help under different pretexts.
The scam escalated when Dinaz told the man that Sharvi had died and demanded that the man pay for her hospital bills. She also threatened suicide if he refused.
By January 2025, the victim had drained his savings by paying Rs 8.7 crore. He then borrowed from his daughter-in-law and son, and continued making payments until his son became suspicious and intervened.
According to the report, the man, upon realising he was a victim of cyber fraud, suffered severe shock, was hospitalised, and diagnosed with dementia.
A cybercrime complaint was lodged on July 22 this year, and an investigation into the case was underway.
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