Maharashtra Officer Duped of ₹17.97 Lakh in Matrimonial Scam
A 34-year-old government officer falls victim to a fraudulent scheme involving fake foreign suitors.
The victim lost ₹17.97 lakh to scammers posing as NRIs.
Fraudsters used matrimonial sites to lure the victim into transferring money.
An FIR has been filed, and police are investigating the case.
In a shocking incident, a 34-year-old Assistant Cell Officer from Maharashtra has reported a loss of ₹17.97 lakh due to a matrimonial fraud scheme. The victim was targeted by fraudsters who posed as foreign nationals on matrimonial websites, leading to significant financial deception.
The South Cyber Cell police have initiated an investigation following the filing of a First Information Report (FIR). The officer created profiles on popular matrimonial platforms, Jeevansathi.com and BharatMatrimony.com, in her search for a life partner. Between July and September, she interacted with two individuals, Sunil Singh and Vishal Agarwal, who claimed to be residing in the UK and Canada, respectively.
Singh allegedly expressed his desire to marry her and provided what he claimed were official documents, including a UK passport and a flight ticket from Vienna to Delhi. He further manipulated the situation by opening a bank account in her name at a fictitious institution called “Gent Credit Union,” claiming to have deposited $600,000. The fraudster then concocted various reasons for the victim to send money, citing fees for SWIFT activation, service charges, and other fictitious costs. To bolster his claims, he sent forged documents purportedly from reputable institutions such as the CBI and the Supreme Court.
Similarly, Vishal Agarwal, whom she met through BharatMatrimony, followed a comparable strategy, convincing her to transfer funds under the pretense of marriage and the promise of gifts. Between July 27 and September 29, the victim transferred a total of ₹17.97 lakh to various accounts as instructed by the scammers. It was only on October 5 that she realized the documents were fraudulent, prompting her to contact the cybercrime helpline for assistance.
The police have taken action by registering an FIR against the individuals associated with the WhatsApp numbers and email addresses provided in the complaint. They are also tracing the beneficiaries of the bank accounts that received the transferred funds. This case highlights the growing concern over online matrimonial frauds and the need for increased vigilance among users of such platforms.
