A Mumbai nurse fell victim to an online shopping scam, losing ₹1 lakh after being lured by a Facebook advertisement for cheap dresses, highlighting the growing threat of cyber fraud.
Key Points
- Mumbai nurse lost ₹1 lakh in an online shopping scam after responding to a Facebook advertisement.
- The scam involved a fake delivery agent and various charges such as shipping and GPS fees.
- The nurse was assured refunds and delivery, but realised she was scammed after paying ₹1 lakh over five days.
- The Deonar police have registered a case and are investigating the online fraud.
A nurse working at a private hospital in Mumbai was allegedly cheated of Rs 1 lakh after she tried to purchase a dress online for Rs 299, police said.
As per preliminary investigation, the fraud was orchestrated using a Facebook advertisement, a WhatsApp number and a fake delivery agent, an official from Deonar police station said on Saturday.
Online Shopping Fraud Tactics
The nurse, who lives in a hostel here, in her complaint said she came across an advertisement on Facebook offering dresses at just Rs 299. She then tried to buy one piece.
The person at the other end initially sought payment for the dress, but later "continued to extract money under various pretexts such as shipping charges, GPS charges, tracking fees, verification codes and address confirmation," the official said.
Victim Realises The Scam
The nurse told the police that she paid Rs 1 lakh over five days between April 16 and 20, and was repeatedly assured that most of the money would be refunded and the order would be delivered.
When nothing happened, she realised that she had been scammed. She then contacted the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and lodged a complaint. The Deonar police have registered a case and launched a probe into it, the official said.
