Bengaluru businessman duped of Rs. 60 lakh by online 'lover'
Cyber cops are on the lookout for a woman, accused of robbing a Bengaluru-based businessman of Rs. 60 lakh. The 34-year-old complainant said that he met this woman, apparently from Kolkata, on a dating website in July'17. The duo exchanged phone numbers, pictures and after some interactions, she asked for Rs. 30,000 to fund her father's 'treatment'. Eventually, she asked for Rs. 60 lakh.
The businessman said that while trawling a dating website on July 18, last year, he came across user ID 'shompa76', who introduced herself as Arpita from Kolkata. They chatted briefly and eventually exchanged phone numbers, after which WhatsApp chats ensued through which they also shared photos of each other. Then one day Arpita asked for Rs. 30,000 for her father's treatment, which he transferred.
Few days later, she told him that her father had been admitted to BM Birla Heart Research Centre for which she needed more money. Between mid-December'17 to January 2018, he transferred Rs. 19lakh to one Rupali Majumdar and Rs. 40.7lakh to one Kushan Majumder. She stopped contacting him thereafter and her profile disappeared too. That's when he realized the con and approached the CID.
Investigators suspect there's more than what meets the eye, and said that such cases are on a rise. "On these websites, cyber-criminals pick aged or separated men/women who're looking for relationships. They pose as entrepreneurs, manipulate the victims and steal their money," said a cop.
