- An 80-year-old Mumbai man was scammed of nearly Rs 9 crore over two years
- Four women, possibly the same person, duped him through 734 online transactions
- The man exhausted savings, borrowed money from family, and was hospitalised with dementia
In a scam that spanned nearly two years and 734 online transactions, an 80-year-old man in Mumbai was duped of nearly Rs 9 crore by four women, who could possibly be just one person, in the name of love and sympathy.
How It Started
In April 2023, the man sent a friend request on Facebook to a woman named Sharvi. The two did not know each other and the friend request wasn't accepted. A few days later, the elderly man received a friend request from Sharvi's account, which he accepted.
The two soon started chatting and phone numbers were exchanged. Chats moved to WhatsApp from Facebook. Sharvi told the 80-year-old that she is separated from her husband and lives with her children. She gradually started asking for money, telling the elderly man her children were unwell.
A few days later, a woman named Kavita also started texting the man on WhatsApp. She introduced herself as someone known to Sharvi and said she wanted to be friends with him. Soon, she started sending obscene messages to the man and also started asking for money.
In December that year, the man started receiving text from another woman, Dinaz, who claimed to be Sharvi's sister. Dinaz told the elderly man that Sharvi had died and asked him to foot the hospital bill. Dinaz extorted money by sending screenshots of WhatsApp chats between Sharvi and the man.
When the man asked for his money back, Dinaz threatened to commit suicide.
The man's ordeal did not end there. Soon after, a woman named Jasmine started to text him. She claimed to be Dinaz's friend and pleaded for help. The old man sent her money as well.
Money Runs Out
From April 2023 to January 2025, the old man had paid Rs 8.7 crore over 734 transactions.
With all his savings exhausted, the 80-year-old borrowed Rs 2 lakh from his daughter-in-law to pay the women. The demands, however, did not stop. He then asked his son for Rs 5 lakh.
The son, now suspicious, asked his father, who then told him why he needed the money.
Man Hospitalised In Shock
The man, realising he was caught in a cyber fraud, had to be admitted to a hospital where he was diagnosed with dementia.
A cybercrime complaint was finally registered on July 22 this year.
The police is now investigating and suspect the four women might just be the same person who duped the man.
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