A 34-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru was allegedly swindled out of more than Rs 30 lakh by cybercriminals operating through a popular matrimonial website, according to a report by TOI.
The sophisticated scam, which unfolded over a month, saw the victim manipulated by a man who presented himself as a prospective partner living abroad.
The complainant, a Banaswadi resident identified as Pallavi, first encountered a profile named ‘Jayesh’ on the platform. As detailed in her police complaint from October 28, Jayesh claimed to be an Anglo-Indian based in Canada, with his family residing in the United Kingdom. He purportedly worked for a “highly reputed company” and expressed a desire to marry an Indian woman and relocate to India.
After initial messages and phone calls from the number +1(548) 901-2536, Jayesh reportedly told Pallavi he would soon visit India to meet her family. Trusting his assurances, she deleted her matrimonial profile. He then informed her he was sending his luggage and gifts ahead of his permanent move, using a logistics firm called ‘Inter Air Delivery Centre’.
The situation escalated on September 29, when Pallavi began receiving calls from individuals posing as agents from the delivery firm. They informed her that a parcel had arrived but required Rs 37,000 in clearance charges. After she made this payment, the fraudsters revealed the consignment contained a substantial $100,000 in cash and a cheque for $200,000.
What followed was a relentless series of demands for more money. Under the guise of covering taxes, insurance, International Monetary Fund (IMF) clearance and currency conversion charges, the criminals persuaded Pallavi to transfer a total of Rs 30.2 lakh to various bank accounts over the following weeks.
Throughout this 20-day period, Pallavi remained in contact with ‘Jayesh’, TOI reported. Each time a new payment was demanded, she would consult him and he would allegedly reassure her to comply, stating the firm needed payment in Indian currency and promising to reimburse her upon his arrival.
The scheme began to unravel when the fraudsters made a further demand for Rs 14.7 lakh, prompting Pallavi to suspect foul play. Her suspicions were compounded by the fact that ‘Jayesh’ had consistently rejected all video calls during their acquaintance, communicating only through shared photos and voice calls. When she confronted him about the potential fraud, he deleted his online profile and vanished.
Pallavi has since provided police with extensive evidence, including chat histories, call logs, payment receipts and bank transaction details. Authorities have confirmed that efforts are underway to trace and freeze the funds in the accounts used by the alleged fraudsters.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
