Mumbai Woman's Search For Husband Ends With Loss In Crypto, Conman On Matrimonial Site
The fraudster told the woman about her crypto trading investment and convinced her to invest. When she wanted to withdraw her money, she was asked to deposit Rs 12 lakhs
New Delhi: A 60-year-old woman in Mumbai was duped of Rs 24 lakhs by a fraudster who posed as an engineer from the US. As per a report by the Times of India, the elderly woman had met the man through a matrimonial website where she had registered to find a prospective husband for herself.
Over a span of time, the two started chatting and the man explained to her about his investments in crypto trading and convinced the woman to invest. Over a period of time, the woman invested a sum of Rupees 24 lakhs.
But when she wanted to withdraw her money, the fraudster asked her an additional Rupees 12 lakhs to give back her money and later her virtual account also became dysfunctional.
The woman, who retired from a private firm a few years ago, then approached the police and lodged an FIR with the Northern Region Cyber Police Station earlier this month against two persons for forgery, criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code, identity theft, and punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource under the IT act.
As per the complaint, the fraudster had sent her a request on the matrimonial site after which the two exchanged their numbers, started chatting, and eventually wanted to get married. The fraudster told the complainant that he worked as an engineer in the US and explained how he was making profits from his crypto trading investment, according to the report.
He then introduced the woman to a crypto guide saying he would help her invest her money wisely. On the main accused’s behest, she transferred Rs 24 lakh as investment money to five Indian bank accounts between April 22 and December 22. She was given access to a virtual account where she could monitor her investments and profits.
She found a total of $62,000 in her virtual account.
But when she asked for her money, she was asked to deposit another Rs 12 lakhs for currency conversion and income tax by the crypto guide, said an officer.
“The main accused told her that she should pay it and get her investment and profit. A few days later, the virtual account became dysfunctional and the guide also stopped taking her calls. The woman then lodged an FIR,” the officer added.
"The two accused were using international numbers to communicate with the complainant," the officer said.
The investigation in the matter is underway, the report added.
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